


Murmuration

by iamalivenow



Category: Dredd (2012), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kissing, M/M, Minor Character Death, Neighbors, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Panic Attacks, Plants, Rimming, Romance, Rough Sex, Self Confidence Issues, Shotgunning, Sleepovers, Stalking, Unwanted Contact, Vomiting, this is how i show my love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-15 02:38:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8039191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamalivenow/pseuds/iamalivenow
Summary: Matt sees Techie for the first time while he's knee deep in a dumpster. The first time Techie sees Matt, Madeline is dragging him inside by the hair. It's not love at first sight, not even close, but they get there. Eventually. Alternatively: Four people make an amount of escalating bad life choices that end in a body count, some plants, and a lot of mental anguish. It's worth(?) it.





	1. Five Times

**Author's Note:**

> Uh. 
> 
>  
> 
> not beta'd

The first time Matt sees him, he's getting pulled into a house by his hair. Matt's not much better off, really. He's very busy standing behind Kylo Ren's apartment and sifting through garbage. So, alright, not his finest moment, he'll admit. But he knows that Ren tossed a jacket and he wanted it. So, yes, he was starring into the building dumpster, having already gone through the regular cans.

Listen, you have to do what you have to do, alright?

It was the screaming that caught his attention, because the screaming usually meant he was about to get in a lot of trouble. It was more distant this time, not actually in the alley where he was profiteering, and his head turned in a human reflex to see where the scream was actually coming from.

The kid looked tall, really pale, with red hair, and for a second Matt thought it was Hux, but no, Hux would rather die then see himself pulled around like that. No, the hair was a lot longer, and his eyes were huge. He wasn't the one who was screaming though. A woman, which Matt only realized was a woman after watching them for a few seconds, was cursing at the top of her lungs.

The kid's mother, maybe? He walked out of the alley way a little to get a closer look, but they didn't look very similar. The kid had massive blue eyes and red hair and the woman had a matching set of brown. Matt noticed the scar on her face now, a huge angry thing that cut her face in half. Christ.

He didn't really want to think why a woman was dragging the kid around by his hair, cursing loud enough that he heard other people walk outside. He's about to slink back into the alley when he meets eyes with the kid.

He's crying, Matt realizes a second later.

Before he's overwhelmed with the urge to get in between the kid and the woman, his mom, probably, someone else is there and Matt turns away. He doesn't see the aftermath, it isn't really worth it. He has no reason to get involved with this kid.

“Whatever.” He mumbles and walks back to the dumpster. He has more important shit to deal with. He grabs the rim of it and hoists himself up. More Important Shit.

.

.

.

The second time he sees him, Matt is wearing the jacket he dug out of a dumpster. He had washed it, obviously, using the same detergent he knew Kylo used, so its fine. It's like the same thing, really, he even used the same dryer sheets. He was a professional. The jacket fit like a second skin, and it was one of those rare cold days. He was glad to have it.

He had gotten compliments on it and everything.

The kid stands next to him in the grocery store, and Matt's surprised to see him. It took him a minute to even realize who he was until he bumped into him on accident. The kid scrunched him self up as small as he could while still remaining up right, and it was kind of impressive.

“Sorry.” Matt says as soon as he realizes who it is. The kid nods in a twitchy way, more motion then necessary before starring back at the huge fridge off milk they were standing in front off. Matt watches him.

His hair is greasy as fuck. It's kind of gross, really, he can see light shining off of it. He's only a few inches shorter then him, probably taller if he wasn't slouched the way he was. He's wearing a ratty mustard sweater and puke green cargo pants. The longer Matt looks at him the more he wants to apologize to Hux for even thinking they were the same person for a second.

His eyes are really blue though. And big. Like, almost unpleasantly big.

“Can-can you not stare at me?” It takes Matt a second to realize that the kid's talking to him and his eyes snap forward.

“I wasn't.”

Whatever.

The kid goes back to staring at the milk a second later. He had a raspy voice, like he didn't talk a lot. Or like he yelled to much. Matt makes a point of reaching across him to open the fridge to reach a carton of skim he wasn't going to drink. The kid recoils, physically jumps back, and crashes into Matt's cart.

“Sorry! I'm sorry!” Matt puts the milk back and shrugs. His cart is empty.

“It's fine.” He makes a point of moving the cart away from the kid and sighing dramatically. When Matt looks at the kid again he has a finger in his mouth, and Matt can't tell if he's biting or sucking on it. “Do you need help or something?”

The kid shakes his head and Matt shrugs again. Matt reaches for a bottle of whole. It's glass and fancy. He fiddles it in his hands before putting it in his cart. He grabs a small carton of half and half, because that's the kind Hux drinks with his coffee and puts that in his cart too. Just as he's about to turn and walk away the kid opens the fridge and grabs a cartoon of chocolate milk before he closes the door of the fridge and bolts down the aisle.

Matt gets filled with the overwhelming urge to follow him, and he does. The kid in the deli section and Matt grabs at whatever he needs as he follows him. He doesn't get to see what the kid grabs before he's gone again, but this was fine. He wasn't being subtle or stealthy right now, and he pretty much stalked the kid around the store.

He got behind him in the check out line and the kid looked like he wanted to brain himself on the counter. Matt's enraptured, watching the way he twitched nervously through the entire ordeal. It was like if someone took Hux and pushed him into an alternate universe. The kid shoved money into the cashier's hand and grabbed all of groceries before sprint-walking out of the store. He didn't take the change.

.

.

.

The third time Matt sees him is from his balcony. Hux is smoking on the balcony next to him in silence, his cat twisting around his legs while music was coming from their apartment. Their, being Hux and Kylo's. They lived together, and Matt was their neighbor and he was so stupidly lucky. He wasn't wearing the jacket, he wasn't stupid, but sort of wished he was. It was pretty cold.

He looks down at the houses below them and he sees the kid in, presumably, his back yard. He's racking leaves. The woman sits on the back deck, which isn't covered at all. He can't hear if she's saying something or not. He's kind of happy about it, the woman freaks him out.

He alternates between looking at Hux and looking at the kid raking leaves. The little faded folding chair he sits in creaks with every movement, but Hux either doesn't notice or doesn't care. Millicent gets up on the railing a minute later and Hux sighs, scooping her in his hands. He sets her back down with a scowl.

With his left hand he reaches and knocks against the glass. It opens a second later and Kylo sticks his head out.

“Yeah?”  
  


“Let Millie in.”

Kylo steps onto the balcony fully and picks Millicent up. When he sees Matt he waves and Matt waves back. He walks back inside with the cat and Matt hears the door slide shut again. Matt considered getting a cat, but it didn't seem fair to the cat. His attention was obviously occupied.

There's a loud crack out of nowhere and Matt turns his head back at the kid. The woman is standing now, the deck chair she was sitting on previously a foot away from the kid.

“Jesus.” Hux mutters taking a long drag.

Matt doesn't say anything, watching the kid's backyard instead. He's holding the rake in his hands defensively, but the woman was screaming already, loud enough that Matt could hear now. The same string of angry curses from the last time. The kid seems to fall back on his ass.

The woman grabs the rake and throws it away from them.

“Should we call the police?” Matt asks before he even realizes it.

“Probably.” Hux says. Matt gets up to grab his phone from inside. When he comes back with the 91 of the 911 punched in already, the woman has already grabbed the kid by the hair. Matt wonders why he keeps it so long as the operator asks for the address.

“Clove Dr. 325, right?” He asks Hux.

“Yeah. 325 A.” Matt parrots it back to the operator who assures that a squad car would be by in five minutes. The kid yells louder when the woman drags him inside.

“That's pretty fucked up.” Matt says. Hux just nods.

.

.

.

The fourth time Matt sees the kid, a week has passed. Matt's outside running laps around the block when he rounds the corner and sees him again. He's outside too, watering the plants in the front yard. The grass in their yard looks pretty fucking dead, and the tall stalky plants look pretty brown, but the kid is out there anyway.

He has a massive black eye and a split lip when Matt runs close enough.

“You okay?” He asks because he has next to no self control anyway.

“Yeah.” The kid answers before with out looking at Matt. He must be used to answering that question then.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Fucking, whatever. Okay. Matt runs another lap. When he loops back around he makes a point of running by the kid and stopping.

“Your plants look fucking dead.” He says.

“What?” The kid turns completely, still holding the hose. Matt really wishes that the kid would have turned it off first, because he's completely drenched now. “Fuck! I'm sorry! Shit!” The kid finally turns the hose off. He drops it. He gets closer now, and Matt tries again.

“Are you okay?” The kid's hands run up to his face briefly before dropping them. Okay, yeah, he can take that.

“I'm really really really sorry!” The kid fidgets and keeps looking at the house. “I- I didn't mean to. I swear!”

“It's okay, it happens.” Matt takes off his shirt and rings it out a bit. The kid stares at his chest.

Nice.

“Can I- Fuck! I don't really- I don't know what to do.” He says and Matt shrugs him off.

“I'm fine. It's not the end of the world.” He wasn't wearing anything he actually cared about. “What happened to you?” He tilts his head a bit. The kid looks like he's trying to turn in on himself again. “Are you- like- safe, and shit?”

“Uh.” The kid leans over to pick up the hose. He's pretty thin, Matt realizes. Like, unhealthily so. “Not- No- Yeah. I'm fine.”

“You clearly aren't.” Matt says and rings his shirt out again. He knows for a fact the cops did show up but he doesn't know what happened after the fact.

“My-” He turns and looks at the house. Matt does too, but the curtains are drawn and the door is closed. “My aunt.” The kid whispers. At least it isn't his mom, Matt thinks. “It's my- my fault.” He mumbles.

“I doubt it.” Matt says. “What could you possibly do to get that?” The kid looks genuinely shocked by the kindness, or by the continued conversation, Matt's not really sure.

“I took- I took-” He stopes and shakes his head. “There were cops, someone-”

Oops.

“I saw.” Matt says instead. He turns and points at where his apartment was. The building stood off to the side but towered over the rest of the neighborhood anyway.

“Sorry.” The kid mumbles again. “It- It was pretty loud.”

“Yeah. Listen.” Matt straightens up again. “If your aunt, or whatever hits you again, you can like, hide at my place.”

“What?” That was pretty fucking dry. Jesus, alright.

“I'm just saying, you shouldn't let your aunt beat you around. I live in 4024, the one next to the corner one. It's something, okay? I won't, like, ask any questions okay?” He says and rings his shirt out the final time.

“I don't- uh- name...” Matt isn't really sure what that was supposed to be, but he pulls the freezing shirt back on.

“My name is Matt. I live in 4024, okay?” The kid nods. “Nah, man. Say it back so I know you remember it.”

“...” The kid's eyes somehow get even bigger. “Matt.” He says. “4024.”

“Yeah. Wasn't to hard, right?” He shivers when a breeze blows past and the kid shrinks down again.

“I'm sorry- bout' the shirt.”

“Yeah, I got that already. What's your name?””

“Uh-”

“Okay, it's fine. Don't hurt yourself.” Matt says. “Matt. 4024. I'm gonna run, okay? See you when I see you.” He says and takes off before the kid says or does anything else.

.

.

.

The fifth time Matt sees the kid, he's cat sitting for Hux and Kylo. Millie runs around his apartment after a laser dot. Matt sits on the couch and smiles when she almost knocks a chair over. His apartment's pretty empty, there's not a lot she can hit though. The door bell rings.

It's weird, cause Kylo said they were going to be gone for the weekend, and it's only Sunday. It's also weird because it's two in the morning. Matt abandons the laser pointer and goes to open the door, Millie at his feet. He unlocks the door and the kid is standing there, bleeding.

“Holy fuck.” Matt says and opens the door wider. The kid sort of stumbles inside, holding his head. “Sit on the couch.” Matt says and goes to get his first aid kit. He keeps it well stocked, because Kylo hurts himself a lot in the gym. Never hurts to be prepared. The kid looks very small.

He's wearing the same ratty mustard sweater and the same puke green shorts from the store. He's holding his left temple, and it looks like it's bleeding pretty hard. Matt sits next to him, and instead of turing the lights on, opens the kit and puts a little flashlight in his mouth. He turns it on with his tongue and pushes the kid's hand away.

It looks pretty fucking awful, and is that a bit of glass stuck in his head? Matt pulls on a pair of gloves and lifts the kid's hair up out of the way. Oh. Oh boy, that is a piece of glass in his head.

“Did she throw something at you?” Matt asks as he pulls out a pair of tweezers.

“You said wouldn't ask....”

“I did say that.” Matt nods. “Take a deep breathe.” He says and as the kid begins too, he pulls the glass out. It's only one fragment, but he gets up and walks it to the trash. Millie jumps up on the couch and takes Matt's spot. “No, Millicent.” He says and nudges her out of the way with his hip. She makes an unhappy noise and climbs into the kid's lap instead.

“Millicent?” The kid asks.

“She isn't mine. I'm cat sitting for my neighbors.” Matt watches as the kid's hands settle on her and Millie starts to purr. His face lights up a bit.

“She's nice.”

“Yeah.” Matt says. “This is going to hurt a bit.” He sprays the anti-septic onto the gash in his head and the kid twitches again. “Almost done.” He says, and takes a tube of neosporin. “You can spend the night if you want.” He dabs a little bit of it on the widest part.

“Uh-”  
  


“I'll sleep on my couch, you can have the bed. It's okay.” The kid didn't respond until Matt undid a bandaid and put it over the main section. “You don't have a concussion, right?” The kid shakes his head. “You can take a shower and peace out then. You can take Millie with you, if you want.”

“...” The kid starred at the tabby for a second before nodding. “Okay.”  
  


“Yeah! Great. Just don't get your bandaid wet.” Matt patted Millie's back before she jumped off of the kid's lap.

“Thanks.” He whispers and got up. Matt points him in the direction of the bathroom. There were only three doors in his apartment, for the bedroom, the bathroom, and outside. The sliding door onto the balcony didn't count. Well, the bathroom and the bedroom connected with a door, but that one didn't count either. It was super small, but the ceilings were pretty high, and the neighbors were really great. He couldn't complain.

While the kid shuffled around his bathroom he pushed at the back of his couch until it dropped to a flat level. His parents insisted on the spread couch incase they ever visited. He went to grab his spare sheets from the closet. Oh, maybe he should give the kid something to sleep in. He had an old shirt and a pair of shorts that were to small on him.

He knocks on the bathroom door, and the shower turns off after a second. “I left you some clean clothes on the bed. I think they're going to fit, so if you want, you can wear those instead. That's all.” The shower turned back on and Matt set up his couch as best he could. He opened the balcony so some cold air could pour into the room.

After a while the shower turned off and the kid walked out of the bedroom with Matt's old clothes on. His hair was a bit wet, but his face wasn't so at least all of his handy work didn't go to hell. Millie sprinted at his legs. He had thin legs. He had thin everything.

“Thanks.” He whispers and picked the cat up. She rubs herself against him.

“Yeah.” Matt nods.

“Uh-- Night.” He says and Matt nods again.

“Good night.” Matt goes into the shower after that. The mirror is completely fogged up and when he turns the water on it's scalding. He jumps back, but showers pretty quickly after that. When he comes back into the living room, the kid is still in the door way. “Hey, you don't have to wait for me.”

“I- no, I know.” He nods along. “Thank you.” He says again, and it sounds different this time.

  
“No problem.”

“Techie.” The kid says, and for a second Matt worries that he did have a concussion before he points at himself. “My name, Techie. It's Techie.”

“That's your name?” Matt must sound as incredulous as he feels.

“No, It - “  
  


“Hey, it's cool. Whatever. Techie. Sure. You can come here if she hurts you again, Techie.” It's such a stupid name, oh my god. Maybe it was a nickname. Or short for something.

“Oh.”  
  


“Or when ever. It's fine. Good night, Techie.”

“...Bye Matt.”

The door closes behind him.

.

.

.

The first time Techie sees him, he's pushing the lid of a dumpster open. Techie's hands are clenched together as he sets down the watering hose to turn it off. Madeline in all of her imposition stands on the porch and watches him with the type of attention she reserved for her clients. He really doesn't want to be there, but he is.

He always is.

She's tapping her foot, Techie can see it from the corner of his eye, and he wants to disappear through the concrete. The hose is old, and it gets tangled. His hands fidget horrendously as he pulls it apart as fast as he can, but it's not fast enough because she's at his side and screaming.

She grabs his hair, wraps it around her fist with a level of practice Techie really hates, and yanks his head back till his face is inches away from hers.

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?! How long does this shit take?!” Techie tries to block her out, but it's pretty hard to do when she's breathing down his neck like that.  
  


“I'm-”  
  


“Shut up, you fucking idiot.” There's a lot more, and it hurts, but not nearly as much as her grip in his hair. Techie learned to just go along with her as she drags him into the house. She got to loud, apparently, other people seemed to appear, and several of them were staring.

Oh, this was worse. So much worse. He looks up and gives a quick thought that no one would actually get involved. When his eyes go back down he sees a tall blonde man with thick glasses standing in the alleyway. He looks like he wants to get involved for a second when Techie's eyes start watering but an older man gets in between him.

When he looks back up the blonde man is hoisting himself into the dumpster. Techie tries not to judge, but he feels gross just looking at him. A bit sick from it actually, but when Madeline barks his name he spins on his feet and walks inside after her.

.

.

.

The second time he sees him, Techie is wearing his outside clothes. An old yellow, well it was yellow at some point, sweater that his mom gave him, and a pair of cargo shorts. He likes the way they feel, and the sweater was his favorite thing to wear. He was glad to have it.

Madeline hated when he wore it.

The blonde man with thick glasses bumps into him in the market. He's trying to find the milk he liked when all of a sudden, the man's cart brushes against him and he freezes up. He wraps his left arm around himself and kind of slouches even more.

“Sorry.” Techie nods. He doesn't sound like he means it, but thats more then what most people would bother telling him. He barely recognizes him from the alley because the man is wearing a massive black jacket that sits on him awkwardly. But it's him.

Techie turns back to looking at the milk. He worries that the store doesn't have his milk. Madeline only let him by groceries once a week, and he could barely stomach anything else. He thinks maybe the store moved it to a different fridge and when he turns his head to look he realizes the man is starring at him.

He really hates being starred at.

“Can-can you not stare at me?” Techie barely manages out. It wasn't his fault it made him feel gross. They meet eyes for a second, light glints off of the man's glasses.

“I wasn't.” He says and stares at the milk again.

A few seconds later a man reaches across him to open the door he was standing in front off, and he lurches back. His back collides with the man's cart. The edges of it cut into his side.

“Sorry! I'm sorry!” He watches the man put the carton he grabbed back in the fridge and then moving his cart away from Techie.

“It's fine.” Techie has a finger in his mouth before he can help it. He's panicking all of a sudden, the fact that he bothered this guy, and that the store didn't have his milk, and that Madeline was going to be mad at him again. “Do you need help or something?”

Techie shakes his head and the man shrugs. He reaches for a glass bottle and a carton and in the process his long arms cross the carton Techie was looking for. He lets out a bodily sigh, and as soon as the man's hands are out of the way, he grabs the carton of chocolate milk. He drops it in his cart and then leaves the aisle.

As he goes through the store grabbing what ever he needed, Techie realizes the blonde guy is following him, and he starts walking faster and faster. When he gets to the check out, the man is behind him. Techie pushes all of his things onto the little conveyer belt and tries very hard to stare straight ahead as he does so.

The cashier runs him up, Techie has the money ready. He puts it into the cashier's hand, grabs his bags and walks out of the store as fast as possible.

.

.

.

The third time Techie sees the man, a week has passed since the police showed up at his house. It's pretty cold and he's watering the plants outside again. The Japanese holly looks all but dead and the hollyhock is drooping miserably. The grass is turning a hideous shade of brown. No one watered the plants other then him, and the last time he did Madeline was upset with him.

She was pretty upset with him after the police arrived too. As soon as they left she grabbed his head and smashed it down on a table. His lip was still split and his eye was still black.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” One of his neighbors must be concerned for him again. Never concerned enough to do anything though, not really.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Why wouldn't they just leave him alone after the first question.

He pushes down on the little sprocket and feels the water rush through the hose. When he pulls the handle water sprays out of it in a sad arc. He tries to cover as much of his yard as he can as quickly as he can before he gets to the actual plants. It looks like it's going to rain pretty soon anyway.

“Your plants look fucking dead.”

“What?” Techie turns around with the hose in his hand, the handle still pressed down. “Fuck! I'm sorry! Shit!” Techie fiddles with the sprocket and the water turns off. The guy is drenched completely. Fuck. He drops the hose and watches it bounce of the asphalt once. All of a sudden the man, the blonde man from the store, from the alley, is an inch away from him.

“Are you okay?” Techie's hands fly to his face before he can stop himself. His hands are cold and it feels good against the abused skin.

“I'm really really really sorry!” Techie says when he finally looks back at the man. “I- I didn't mean to. I swear!”

“It's okay, it happens.” The guy says before taking his shirt off. He's pretty built. Techie wasn't expecting him to be. He looked pretty flabby the last two times Techie saw him.

“Can I- Fuck! I don't really- I don't know what to do.” Because he doesn't. He really, really doesn't know exactly what the right course of action is.

“I'm fine. It's not the end of the world. What happened to you?” The man tilts his head as he says this. Techie freezes up again, because he really hates these questions. “Are you- like- safe, and shit?”

“Uh.” Techie leans down to pick up the hose. He glances at the house. He can't see Madeline peaking from any of the windows. “Not- No- uh. Yeah. I'm fine.”

“You clearly aren't.” The man rings his shift out and Techie watches his arms as he does so.

“My-” He turns and looks at the house again. He doesn't know why he feels the need to explain himself. His hands grip the hose harder. “My aunt.” Techie whispers. Well, Madeline was kind of like his aunt. Aunt was easier to think about the adopter. Adoptive. And it's his fault for fucking up, for getting the police called. He must have yelled to loud or... something. He isn't really sure what happened. “It's my- my fault.” He mumbles.

“I doubt it. What could you possibly do to get that?” Techie freezes up again, feels his eyes going a bit wider. He takes a step back and tries really hard to not remember Madeline's hands in his hair.

“I took- I took-” He stopes and shakes his head. “There were cops, someone-”

“I saw.” The man says and Techie takes another step back. The man turns and points at the apartment building that towered over them. Oh.

“Sorry.” Techie really doesn't want to keep this conversation going. “It was pretty loud.”

“Yeah. Listen.” The man straightens up. “If your aunt, or whatever hits you again, you can like, hide at my place.”

“What?” Techie must sound harsh because the man looks shocked at him. What was he expecting, saying something like that? It's just fucking creepy.

“I'm just saying, you shouldn't let your aunt beat you around. I live in 4024, the one next to the corner one. It's something, okay? I won't, like, ask any questions okay?” He says and rings his shirt out.

“I don't- uh- name...” Techie wants to kick himself. He hates the fact that that was his best attempt.

“My name is Matt. I live in 4024, okay?” The man understood him anyway. Matt. Matt understood him anyway. He nods. “Nah, man. Say it back so I know you remember it.”

Techie watches him carefully, a level of scrutiny he only brings out for work. What's the angle, he thinks, what could he possibly be getting from this? He lives in the apartment but he digs around in the trash behind it? Maybe this was some elaborate kidnapping situation. He would be okay with that. “Matt.” He says. “4024”

“Yeah. Wasn't to hard, right?” The guy shivers when a strong wind blows by.

“I'm sorry- bout' the shirt.”

“Yeah, I got that already. What's your name?”

“Uh-”

“Okay, it's fine. Don't hurt yourself.” Matt cuts him off. “Matt. 4024. I'm gonna run, okay? See you when I see you.” He sprints off in another direction before Techie has a chance to say anything else. He goes back to watering the plants when the door opens and Madeline strides out of it. She stands on the sidewalk not far from him and ignores him entirely.

“I'll be out till late. Don't wait up.” She says when a car pulls up.

“Yes. Ma.” He tacks it on.

“Hey kid.” Kay calls from the car and Techie waved a hand.

“Don't talk to him.” Madeline hisses at the driver and then the door shuts and the car zips away.

  
Techie lets out a breath he was holding and finishes watering the plants.

.

.

.

The fourth time Techie sees Matt, a man dies in their house. Techie knows he's supposed to stay out of the way when Madeline had work over, that he was supposed to be in his room, in a pair of headphones behind a locked door. But she called him.

Well, she told Kay to come and get him, and Kay knocked at his door and Techie had a little fit, before he got up and and opened the door.

And now he was standing behind her, listening to Caleb beat a man into a bloody heap. Techie fidgets at her side, trying to figure out what he could possibly be needed for. Madeline takes a long drag from a cigarette in her hand before turning to look at him.

“He.” She points at the man. “Told me he didn't steal from me. I don't believe him, and he's swearing by everything he believes that he's telling the truth.” She gets up. “The money and the supply is gone, though.” She walks over to him and puts the cigarette out on his for head. Techie watches at the man screams and begs, his hands scrambling at her before Caleb grabs him.

“...”

“I need you to listen to him and tell me if he's telling the truth.”

“Wh- I- Uh- Mama, I-”

“Don't. Just shut up. And listen.” She nods at Caleb before the man is hoisted to his knees. “Go on.” She steps to the side and Techie shuffles to where she was standing before. He tries to build himself up, to square his shoulders and look at least a little intimidating.

“Go ahead.” Techie whispers at him.

“I didn't steal anything man! You- You have to be-believe me, okay! I have kids! I'm not stupid, man, please! Just-I don't know where it went! I don't even know what went, right?!” Techie watches the man. He maintains eye contact. He's shaking but it's more from strain then anything else. He barely stutters, even with a split face. He's too stable. To still. To rehearsed.

“I think he's lying.” Techie says and watches as Caleb grins a sort of hungry smile.

“What?! No! I didn't---!” Caleb swings a bat that was laying at his side and Techie hears the man's head crack open.

“Great.” Kay whistles from his spot behind the couch. “Good luck scrubbing that out of the carpet.” Techie looks at where bits of gray matter were spilled. He feels sick. He doesn't feel sorry. He knew what Madeline wanted to hear anyway. It didn't matter. He didn't even know the man's name. It didn't matter.

“Did you eat yet?” Madeline asks out of no where and Techie shakes his head. “Go make food then.” Techie goes into the kitchen and doesn't ask questions, even though it's almost two in the morning. Twenty minutes later he brings pasta into the living room and goes to get plates. As he sets the table, the three adults trail in. Well, Techie was twenty two, but he didn't feel like an adult, didn't count himself as one.

“He's convenient.” Caleb says. Kay laughs.

“He's useful when he wants to be.” Madeline says and Kay laughs again. “When he's not being a waste of space.” She adds just as Techie puts pasta on her place. Just when he's right next to her. Techie swallows.

“Sorry.” He says and Caleb laughs.

“Fuck.” Kay says. “So well trained.” Techie pours their beers and moves to leave the room before Madeline beckons him over with a finger.

“Why was he lying.” She asks when Techie is an inch away from her. “Why could you tell.” They didn't sound like questions.

“He was too calm. Like he practiced.” He says and tries his hardest to stop shaking. It doesn't work.

“So what, you're saying I couldn't see that?”

“No.” Oh. Oh no. “No, Mama.” He backpedals before she grabs his left wrist. “I meant that it's why I could tell. Not... not that you couldn't see it. I'm sorry.” He says as he watches her grab her glass.

“What else?”

“What?”

“What else made you know?”

“He...” Techie swallowed. “He looked me in the eyes, Ma.”

“He didn't look in my eyes.” She says and drinks all of the beer. “Did he look in your eyes?” Kay and Caleb both shake their heads. “Are you lying to me?”

“No, Ma. Never.”

“Never?” Techie staggers back when she smashes the glass into his temple. “We both know that's not true, right?” Kay laughs and Caleb snickers. Techie places a hand to his bleeding head. “Get out. I don't care where you go, but if I see you again that will be the last of your problems, understand?”

“Yes Mama.” He bolts out the door when she nods.

Fuck.

Fuck Fuck Fuck.

He looks up at the apartment building. Matt, he remembers. 4024. He wonders how he's actually supposed to get into the building, if that's even a good idea. At this point, though, if Matt was a serial killer or whatever, that was probably better then being here.

The guy at the lobby desk doesn't even bother looking up, so Techie heads to the elevator and pressing the 4th floor. The elevator ding makes him jump a little. He stumbles to the door with 24 on it and rings the door bell before he thinks about it.

“Holy fuck.” Matt is in a pair of sweats and looks tall. He opens the door wider and Techie stumbles in. He's probably doing it so that his neighbors don't see. “Sit on the couch.” Matt instructs before going into a different room. It's not a big apartment, the ceilings are kind of high, and there is very little furniture around the apartment. The couch is pretty soft under him, but Techie wonders if its not just stress.

It's dark in the apartment, Techie realizes when Matt sits next to him and puts a flashlight into his mouth. He must have woken Matt up. Techie feels guilty. He watches Matt put gloves on. Matt has big hands, he thinks. Matt lifts his hair up to look at where Madeline introduced the glass to his skull.

“Did she throw something at you?”

“You said wouldn't ask....” Even though it only happened a few minutes ago, he doesn't want to think about it.

“I did say that.” Matt nods. “Take a deep breathe.” As soon as Techie does he feels sharp pain and Matt gets up with a piece of glass between his tweezers. A cat jumps up onto the couch, and that is maybe the most confusing part off all of this. Matt doesn't look like he owns animals. “No, Millicent.”

When Matt sits down Millicent, the cat, apparently, crawls into Techie's lap instead. He's never touched a cat before, never been this close to one.

“Millicent?” Techie isn't sure who he's asking.

“She isn't mine. I'm cat sitting for my neighbors.” That made more sense. Techie's hand gently set on Millicent's back and the cat purred.

“She's nice.” He wasn't very good with animals. Some of the people Madeline worked with had dogs and those dogs did not like him.

“Yeah.” Matt says. “This is going to hurt a bit.” He lifts up a little spray bottle and Techie stares straight ahead of him. When he sprays it, it feels like Madeline is smashing the glass into his head all over again. “Almost done.” As Matt rubs something into the wound he says, ““You can spend the night if you want.”

“Uh.” Before Techie's brain goes into all of the bad places, Matt continues.

“I'll sleep on my couch, you can have the bed. It's okay.” He doesn't say anything. Matt puts a bandage over his cuts. “You don't have a concussion, right?” Techie shakes his head. This is not what a concussion feels like. “You can take a shower and peace out then. You can take Millie with you, if you want.”

“...” Techie looks down at Millicent. She's soft and warm. “Okay.”

“Yeah! Great. Just don't get your bandaid wet.” Matt nudges Millicent off of Techie's lap.

“Thanks.” He whispered and got up. Matt pointed him in the direction of the bathroom.

It wan't a big room, Techie thinks none of Matt's apartment was. It was kind of cramped but very meticulously clean. He looked at the mirror over the sink and cringed. God, what a nightmare. He poked at his bandage and frowned. When was he going to be let back into his house?

He turns the shower on and takes his clothes off. The sweater drops to the floor. He steps into the shower and watches as the water drips off of him. He covers his bandage with one hand and then dunks his head under the stream. There's a knock at the shower door and Techie jerks his head back. He couldn't have known, could he? He fumbles the shower off.

“I left you some clean clothes on the bed. I think they're going to fit, so if you want, you can wear those instead. That's all.” Oh this was a weird serial killer thing. Or maybe Matt didn't want his clothes on his bead. Or maybe it was a serial killer thing.

He turns the shower back on and scrubbed himself as clean as he could with some soap. When he finished he got out of the shower and didn't bother looking at the mirror again. It was too foggy anyway. He looked at the other door and pushed it slowly. It was Matt's bedroom.

Matt was not in it.

The clothes Matt said he left for him were on the bed. The bed itself was pretty high up, reaching his thigh. It looked too small. The shirt was a grey university shirt which was loose on him and the shorts were red and sagged a bit. They weren't built the same.

When he opened the bedroom door Matt was sitting on the folded out couch. Millicent ran into his legs. Matt sat up a bit straighter.

“Thanks.” Techie picks up the cat. Millicent nuzzles against his chest.

“Yeah.” Matt nods.

“Uh-- Night.” He says and Matt nods again.

“Good night.” Matt gets up and goes into the shower. Techie is left standing with the cat in his hands. Millicent is warm and Techie just listens to her breath. His head hurts.

“Hey, you don't have to wait for me.” When Techie looks up again Matt is standing in a pair of boxers. He didn't notice the time pass.

“I- no, I know.” He nods along. “Thank you.” He says again, and it sounds different this time, he realizes.

“No problem.”

“Techie. My name, Techie. It's Techie.” Techie doesn't know why he says it out loud. It sounds pretty dumb out loud.

“That's your name?” Matt sounds as incredulous as he must feel.

“No- It-” Techie gets cut off before he can explain anything.

“Hey, it's cool. Whatever. Techie. Sure. You can come here if she hurts you again, Techie.”

“Oh.”

“Or when ever. It's fine. Good night, Techie.”

“...Bye Matt.”

He closes the door behind him.

.

.

.

The fifth time Techie sees Matt, it's the day after. Techie wakes up to a knock on the bedroom door and when he sits up his bandage comes off. It doesn't seem like he's bleeding anymore but when he looks at the pillow there are little blood stains.

“Are you alive? It's three already.” There's an urgency to his voice, so Techie gets up and pulls on his own clothes before opening the door. Millicent follows him. “You are! Good.” Matt says and moves out of his way.

“I- I should go.” Techie says. “Sorry for taking so long.” He really doesn't know if Madeline was going to let him back into the house or not, but he would figure something out. If he's smart about it.

“No- You don't have to go, it's fine. I just need to return Millicent.” After a second of something he smiles. “Want to meet my neighbors? They're really great.” Techie shrugs. No, he really doesn't want to meet Matt's neighbors, but he might as well go along with it. Matt pulls his shoes on and goes to the door. Techie follows. “You'll love them.” Matt says as he rings the door bell.

A man Matt's heigh opens the door. He's wearing exclusively black and looks pretty happy to see Matt. He takes Millicent from his hands before the cat hisses and sprints back into the apartment behind him. The man sighs.

“Every time.” He groans.

“She'll wear down eventually.” Matt says and pushes his way into the apartment. The man in black lets him with out saying anything until he notices Techie.

“Matt?”

“Yeah, Kylo?”

“Who's this?”

“Techie.”

Techie really wishes he was somewhere else at the moment. This seems like a progressively bad idea when another man joins Kylo, presumably, at the door. Ginger hair and a harsh face. There's a look of recognition across it before he nudges Kylo out of the way.

“It's alright, Ren, let him in.” He sounds english. Techie steps past them and the door closes.

“Who is he?” Techie can hear Kylo hiss into the english man's ear. He either doesn't answer or answers too quietly. Matt is staring out the window at something and Millicent rubs herself against Techie's legs. The apartment is much better furnished then the one next door.

“My cat likes you.” The english man says and Techie turns too look at him. There is a smile on his face that reminds him of Madeline. “That doesn't happen a lot.”

“She's nice.” Techie says back and feels like he's about to get glassed all over again when the man walks closer to him.

“Hux.” He says and sticks his hand out. “You're Techie, right?” Techie nods. He doesn't want to shake Hux's hand but he does anyway. Hux has a firm grip and he's fast about it. Kylo trails behind him. They live together, Techie realizes.

“Yeah.” He nods quickly. Kylo crosses the room and starts talking to Matt about something.

“Are you alright?” Techie nods. “Matt told me you kept Millie company. Thank you.” He smiles. The way he says it makes Techie think that the cat is the most important thing in the world.

“Yeah.” He says again. Sure. He wants to leave.

“Have you eaten yet?” Matt turns around and looks like he's about to say something when Techie, very quickly, interjects.

“Yeah, thanks. I have to go, I think. Yeah. My aunt's waiting. Thank. For- for the offer.” He gives a quick smile he knows doesn't look right. “Your cat's very nice.” He adds as he backs towards the door. “Bye. It was nice meeting, meeting you. Bye Matt. Thanks.” He says and is out the door before anyone can stop him.

He's out of the building a second later just as he sees Kay's car pull into the driveway. Madeline steps out and she sees him when she looks around. She waves a hand and Techie's at her side in an instant.

“You were right.” She says with a smile. Her hand is around his shoulders.

Better the devil you know, he thinks for a second before nodding.

He doesn't see Matt for a month after that.


	2. Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt doesn't understand how to handle him. 
> 
> Techie doesn't understand how to handle anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for all of the attention. 
> 
> I'm really glad you like this. 
> 
> It gets a little weird, just thought I should warn you in advance. 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> not beta'd

The next time Matt sees Techie, a month has passed. Matt's in the grocery store again, trying to find the hair care aisle when he walks past Techie starring a bunch of cards. He's been considering dyeing his hair a nice dark black. He's been going back and forth on this for a week, and he thought if he looked at the actual bottles, his mind might be made for him.  
  
He can't find the aisle for it, though, and he doesn't really want to ask. It always seems really stupid when people ask attendants. He hated being asked stupid questions while he worked, so he tried his hardest to not irritate other people with them.  
  
He stops when he sees Techie, though, like he does every single time he sees him. It's a pattern at this point, no reason to break it. Techie's starring at one of them very intently, and Matt considers tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention, but chooses against it. No reason to make him any jumpier then necessary. So he pulls his cart into the aisle and stands next to him.  
  
Matt tries to figure out which card Techie is starring at, and it could be any, really, he has a wide gaze. He just watches Techie instead. It's the same yellow sweater, the same cargo shorts, nothing's changed since the last time. His hands are bunched at his chest, his fingers almost vibrating. His hands look slim and elegant, maybe the only part of him that Matt would call elegant.  
  
Hux had the same slim elegant hands, and Kylo was elegant too, in a different way. Where Techie was diminutive, Hux and Kylo were visceral, raw, animalistic almost. He tries to imagine Hux in the same position and fails miserably. It's become a new hobby for him, interchanging the two of them, just to see if his brain could actually do it.  
  
It rarely happened right. He had a much easier time interchanging himself and Kylo. They were similar in a lot of ways. Matt was proud of that. Techie reached out for a card, get well soon, and opened it to read what was inside. Did Techie have a sick relative? Is that why he lived with that psycho?    
  
With his aunt, Matt corrected. With his aunt. That would make sense, maybe his mother was in the hospital, and this was her dying request for her estranged sister? Or maybe it was his father who got in a bad crash, or in a really bad fight, and he was always there for his sister, so now his sister was there for him? Or maybe his mother died in childbirth and his father left him so he lived with his but they got dementia or Alzheimers and they asked their only remaining child to look after him. Or maybe--  
  
“Matt?” Matt blinks a couple of times before looking down at Techie.  
  
“Hey.” He says. “I saw you while I was walking by and thought I should check up on you.” Smooth. Smooth as fuck.  
  
“Oh.” Techie says. “...Thanks?” Jesus, this kid.  
  
“No thanks needed.” He gives Techie a big grin. “Just being a decent person.”  
  
“Right.” He sounded unconvinced.  
  
“So, are you okay?”  
  
“Fine, I guess.” Techie puts the card he was holding back on the shelf and frowns. He goes back to starring at the cards and Matt sighs.  
  
“Do you need help or something?”  Techie shakes his head. “Okay.” Talking with Techie was like pulling teeth. “Well, uh, I'll be in the hair... aisle.” He leaves before Techie responds because that was a violent failure at being smooth.  
  
When he finally finds it three aisles over he stares at the rows of boxes. They all seem to be for women, but his hair is full enough for it. He reaches for two boxes, Midnight Blue and Leather Black and gives them an intense looking over. He felt the pros of dyeing his hair greatly outweighed the cons, and he already had a story ready for anyone who would ask.  
  
It was just a matter of choosing the color. It was a tough choice, considering, Kylo's hair was different in certain lights,  and Matt wasn't an expert but he was pretty sure that was an effect you could only get from natural hair.  
  
“What are you-” Matt jumped. Techie was standing behind him, a card in one hand, the other reaching up to tap Matt on the shoulder, probably. He was so quiet, Matt didn't hear him in the slightest. He tries to recover quickly, but fails. Techie waits patiently.  
  
“Was thinking about dying my hair.” He manages after a minute or so.  He's never been good with stress.  
  
“Why?” Techie looks confused. “Black?”  
  
“Do you mean why am I dyeing my hair black or why am I dyeing my hair, is that black dye in your hands?”  
  
“...” Techie scratches at his hand a bit. “Why are you dyeing it?” He sounds terse when he asks the question, irritated maybe.  
  
“...” Matt expects the story to just pour out of his mouth like it was nothing, but as he stared at Techie, it wouldn't come. “Just wanted a change, I guess.” He mumbles out. Whatever, it still sounded more like actual english then what Techie sounded like.  
  
“Mm.” The noise is small. “Blonde is-- I--- your hair is fine.” He says and Matt's eyes must grow. They have too. He's gotten compliments before, obviously,  but for some reason it sounded genuine coming from the kid. “Is this good?” Techie thrusts the card he's holding into Matt's face before he has a chance to say anything else.  
  
The card is light blue, and the inside has cartoon cat holding onto a log in the middle of a waterfall with the stereotypical _'Hang in there!'_ in big bubbly letters down the middle. Considering he watched Techie stand in front of the cards for a while, this must have been the best thing available.  
  
“Uh, depends who you're giving it too, I guess.”  
  
“Oh. He's twenty four, I think.”  
  
“You think?”  
  
“I don't know him well-- it's-- Ma M- My aunt asked me to- to get it.”  
  
“Oh.”  Matt frowns. His stories were better. Maybe Techie was lying or something. “Want me to help you find something better?”  
  
“It's-” Techie stops and nods. “What about your dye?” He asks as they leave the aisle.  
  
“I was just thinking about it, I wasn't going to, you know, actually do it.” It comes out easy enough, and it's technically true.  
  
“Oh.”  Matt spots the most colorful card almost immediately and hands it to Techie right off the rack. “After the rain... comes the rainbow? Uh, I don't think--” Techie shakes his head. “It might give of the wrong-- I mean, there's nothing-- I don't think he'll-- Um.” He fidgets and Matt sighs bodily.  
  
Who cares, it's a fucking get well card, why was everything a thing with him.  
  
“Take both, let your aunt pick which ever one she likes more. I have to go, okay.”  
  
“Uh, yeah, okay.” Matt starts to walk past him and then he hears a “Sorry.” He turns around to see Techie starring at his feet and his hands twitching, moving the card around. Any anger Matt had in him deflates almost as quickly as it appeared.  
  
“It's fine, it's whatever.” He says and puts his hands up. It's my fault almost slips out. “See you around.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Whatever.  


.

.

.

  
Matt's on his balcony when he sees Techie again, two days later. He's shocked he even noticed him, honestly, considering Kylo Ren was sitting two feet away from him on his own balcony. They are talking about restaurants. He wants to take Hux to celebrate his recent acquisition and they're trying to figure out where to go when he spots him out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Techie walks out onto his front yard, and his creepy aunt follows him. She stands on the curb, waiting for something, watching Techie at the same time. Techie is bent over pulling at weeds. He wonders what Techie's every day life must be like, with his aunt always starring at him.  
  
“Dude, you there?”  
  
“Yeah.” Matt snaps his eyes back at Kylo instantly. “I'm here.”  
  
“Because if you need to be somewhere, I have other friends I can call.” Matt's mind does a lot of things all at once. The affirmation that he and Kylo were friends makes him ecstatic. Half of his mind is still thinking about Techie, and another part of him is confused. Kylo Ren didn't have any other friends. Matt knew that.  
  
He tapped their phone ages ago.  
  
Matt wasn't judging, it's not like he had a lot of friends either, but he rarely lied about it. Were Kylo and Hux fighting? Oh, no, definitely not, because why would he bother trying to find a restaurant?  
  
“I'm here.” Matt says again, instead. “Just got a tiny bit distracted.”  He points, half heartedly, at Techie at his yard below them.  
  
“Oh, that kid.” Kylo nods sagely. “Yeah, okay.”  
  
“What?” Matt met his eyes again. “What okay?”  
  
“Hux told me about him. Shit's fucked, man.”  
  
“Uh, yeah. What did Hux tell you exactly?”  
  
“That he gets the shit beat out of him, and his parents are dead.” Well that makes sense, Matt thinks.  
  
Wait.  
  
“When did Hux find out his parents were dead?”  
   
“He looked into it.” Matt swallowed.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“I don't know. You know how he is, everywhere all at once.” Hux was, in fact, everywhere at once. Matt knew he worked with some conglomerate but he wasn't really sure what Hux actually did. He seemed to be a major player in a lot of things, but the way Kylo talked about him, it was like he was a lawyer.  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Kylo Ren worked with him, as a body guard or enforcer or something like that. It's how they met, actually. Matt thought it was very romantic.  
  
“How did you even meet him?” Kylo asks and Matt has a flash of him getting pulled by his hair again.  
  
“Just bumped into him.” Matt says and turns his attention back on Techie. His aunt seems to be talking to him, because Techie is turned to look at her. He's wearing something different, a navy blur instead of the regular yellow. It doesn't really match his hair.  
  
“Hello, Matt.” Hux is standing at the other balcony door.  
  
“Hi.” Matt waves and Hux smiles.  
  
“I need to borrow him.” He says and grabs Kylo's hair to pull him inside. Kylo laughs and lets himself up to follow the other man.  
  
He watches Techie while he waits for them to come back. He's on his knees, raising up, kneeling almost. The woman throws the cigarette on the pavement and stomps it out with her foot. Techie reminds Matt of a prairie dog. A black low rider pulls up to her and she gets into. Techie bends back down to get back to work pulling weeds.  
  
At least every single interaction doesn't end in violence with then. Techie seemed like a small defenseless doll.  
  
“Hey, we have to go.” Kylo's head is sticking out from the sliding door.  
  
“I was planning on going for a run anyway, it's cool.”  
  
“Yeah, okay. See you.” He ducks back inside.  
  
Matt gets dressed and goes for a run.  


.

.

.

  
It's been a month since Techie saw Matt, and he sees him in the store again. Madeline was sitting in the car, waiting for Techie to get Kay a get well soon card. A stupid situation he didn't really understand, something about Kay getting caught by a judge who wasn't actually a judge or maybe he was, Techie only heard one side of a phone call through a wall. Madeline thought it would be nice to get him one since he was currently bleed on their couch.  
  
Techie kind of agreed, mostly he was surprised Madeline hadn't killed him when he stumbled through their front door. Either way, he's standing in the card aisle, trying to figure out what card would be the most acceptable for a career criminal. All of the cards looked like they were made for little girls. Techie liked some off them, the colors were soft and the pictures were cute, but he didn't really want to think about what Kay would say.  
  
What Madeline would say.  
  
He tries to remember what colors were supposed to be calming, but his memory isn't good enough to remember the words of a therapist from ten years ago telling Madeline something about what color his room walls should be. He was court mandated. Neither he nor Madeline liked him. He sighs when he thinks about out it.  
  
He picks up a white card that has a dog on it that says _Don't feel well?_ And when he opens it says _Heal!_ In big happy yellow letters.  
  
When he remembers thinking Madeline wasn't the worst possible scenario. She wasn't, technically, he was fed and had a roof over his head, which was more then he would have had on his own. He almost laughs at the memory of him holding her hand as a child and thinking that this wasn't awful. He shakes his head and out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar mess of blonde hair standing over him.    
  
“Matt?”  
  
“Hey.” He says. “I saw you while I was walking by and thought I should check up on you.”  
  
“Oh.” Techie says. “...Thanks?” He knows that Matt goes to this store, he's seen him here before a couple of times, but the thought of Matt showing up where Techie was makes him nervous.  
  
“No thanks needed.” He gives Techie a big grin. “Just being a decent person.”  
  
“Right.” Just his luck, to become acquaintances with a probable serial killer. Who talked like that, it was so weird.    
  
“So, are you okay?”  
  
“Fine, I guess.” Techie puts the card he was holding back on the shelf and frowns. He goes back to starring at the cards and Matt sighs.  
  
“Do you need help or something?”  Techie shakes his head. “Well, uh, I'll be in the hair... aisle.” He hears Matt leave the aisle he was in. Techie sighs too. This sort of thing was way to difficult to do. Where was the _Sorry you almost got murdered. Hope the blood doesn't stain!_ Card he needed?  
  
He spots a light blue one with and when he opens it he's greeted with the image of a cat hanging onto a log in the middle of a waterfall. _Hang in there!_ It says. The cat looks like Millicent. He looks at it for a bit longer. It's cute, ironic, maybe?  Maybe he should ask Matt, since he was nearby. Matt was sort of like Kay in that... they were both... tall? He was more masculine anyway, and that was the best frame of reference he had.  
  
He walks a few aisles down until he sees Matt holding to identical boxes of hair dye in his hand.  
  
“What are you-” Matt jumps. Techie watches as Matt attempts to compose himself, surprised he had any effect on the man, considering how much Matt liked to sneak up on him.  
  
“Was thinking about dying my hair.” He manages after a minute or so.  
  
“Why black?” And he must say it weird because Matt answers back with more questions instead of answers.  
  
“Do you mean why am I dyeing my hair black or why am I dyeing my hair, is that black dye in your hands?” Techie scratches his hand and tries to not be offended at Matt treating him like an idiot. He's used to Madeline, Kay, and Caleb doing it to him.  
  
“Why are you dyeing it?”  
  
“Just wanted a change, I guess.” Matt says. He looks upset with something. Techie hopes it's not with him.  
  
“Mm.” He makes a noise at the back of his throat and tries not to think about what he says. “Blonde is-- I--- your hair is fine.” Before to much time passes he thrusts the card into Matt's face. “Is this good?”  
  
“Uh, depends who you're giving it too, I guess.” A drug dealer, Techie thinks. Instead, though he thinks about what else he knows about Kay.  
  
“Oh. He's twenty four, I think.”  
  
“You think?”  
  
“I don't know him well-- it's-- Ma M- My aunt asked me to- to get it.”  
  
“Oh.”  Matt frowns. “Want me to help you find something better?”  
  
“It's-” Techie stops and nods. “What about your dye?” He asks as they leave the aisle.  
  
“I was just thinking about it, I wasn't going to, you know, actually do it.” No, Techie thinks, he didn't know, but he was getting used to Matt making little sense half the time.  
  
“Oh.” Techie watches Matt grab a rainbow card almost immediately. “After the rain... comes the rainbow? Uh, I don't think--” Techie shakes his head. “It might give of the wrong-- I mean, there's nothing-- I don't think he'll-- Um.” God. God damn it.  
  
“Take both, let your aunt pick which ever one she likes more. I have to go, okay.” Matt gives him an angry looking frown.  
  
“Uh, yeah, okay.”  Techie doesn't really know what to do. He doesn't know if Matt is the type of person to want an apology or if he was the type to hit first. Matt starts to walk away so Techie mumbles out a quick “Sorry.” Matt turns back around.  
  
“It's fine, it's whatever.” He says and puts his hands up. “See you around.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Matt leaves quickly and Techie is left holding both of the cards in his hands. He pays for both and before he gets into the car, he slips Matt's card under his shirt.  
  
“It's – supposed-- be funny. They didn't-- sorry Ma. ” Techie tells Madeline when he hands her the light blue card.  
  
Madeline doesn't say anything, which Techie takes to mean she likes it. She lights a cigarette as he drives them home.

.

.

.

  
Techie's bent over in the garden when Matt runs by him. The clump of daffodils finally looks less miserable after a month of toiling over them. He's pretty happy with them, he likes watching them grow bigger around him. His hands are in the dirt, and his clenches and unclenches his fist, trying to will it into malleability.  
  
He hears sneakers squeak on the on asphalt, so he turns around to see Matt starring at him. He looks sweaty, like he just ran for a good long while.  
  
“You really like flowers huh?” He's breathing heavily but doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain.  
  
“I guess-- yeah.” Techie nods. He sits up a bit, putting more of his weight on his knees.  
  
“I can see them from my place.” He says with a smile that makes Techie feel weird again.  
  
“Okay.” Techie says, because really, how else does he follow that? Matt sighs.  
  
“Listen, I wouldn't ask if I didn't have too, but can I get some water? I left my bottle at home.” Techie rises from his knees and brushes his hands together till any dirt comes off.  
  
“Uh, yeah. Okay.” He's been in Matt's apartment, so he guesses it's fair. “Just-- you can't-- for too- too long.”  
  
“No, no, I won't.” He flashes a grin. “Promise.” Techie nods and leads him inside. “Pretty clean.” He says from behind.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Do you clean it?”  
  
“Mostly.” He leads him into the kitchen and pours him water from the sink into a glass. Matt, for his part, downs the entire thing in one go. It's kind of impressive, honestly. “More?” Matt shakes his head and lets out a little breathy groan. He bends over and Techie is also impressed as he fold himself almost perfectly.  
  
When he comes back up again, he's smiling. Wide and happy. Techie worries.  
  
“Can I see your room?” He asks. Techie wants to say no. “I showed you mine.” He laughs.  
  
“Yeah.” Techie mumbles. “But you have to leave after. Okay?”  
  
“Sure, sure.” Techie leads him downstairs. Matt whistles. “Nice rig.” He smiles as he walks towards the computer set up. He drags his fingers across the monitor tops before drumming them on the table. “What are these?” He asks, lifting up one of the wire figures. Techie doesn't want to talk about them.  
  
“Just---” He doesn't even bother to finish, instead settling for crossing the room and plucking the figure out of Matt's hands and placing it back on the table. Matt steps back and apologizes.  
  
“Do you want me to go?” He asks and Techie doesn't know.  
  
“Yeah.” He shrugs. “I don't-- I guess.” Matt gives him a small smile and turns to leave. Techie follows him up and out of the house. “Sorry.” He mumbles again.  
  
“It's okay. I get it.” Matt says in a kind voice. Techie does not trust him. Techie doesn't.  
  
“Yeah.” He says again, instead.  
  
“See you.”  
  
“Bye.”

.

.

.

  
Techie wakes up in the early hours of the morning, before the sun is up in the sky. He's fallen asleep at his desk, he realizes as he gets up off of the floor. A recurring nightmare launched him backwards, and he ended up on the floor with his desk chair over him. He straightens up the chair and rubs his back gently. He lived in the basement, his floors were concrete.  
  
It was kind of cool, Techie thought. Industrial. He knew that Madeline shunted him down here because there was no room in the actual house, but it wasn't too bad. He had to set his towers up by the only window, and he had to keep it open all the time so bugs would get in, but they rarely got past the racks anyway.  
  
“Fuck.” He whispered. He was pretty sure he bruised his pelvis with his landing. He wobbled his mouse until the screen closest to him came to life. Four in the morning. He could chance a trip into the actual house at four in the morning.  
  
It's the kind of quiet that only exists at four in the morning. His feet cross the wood, the carpet, and then the linoleum of the kitchen. He opens the cabinet where Madeline kept all of her medicine and tried to find something he could use to take the edge off the bruising off. He doesn't find anything and frowns. They don't have ice packs.  
  
“Fuck.” He says again, only slightly louder now.    
  
“Why are you up?” Techie turns to see Madeline leaning against the door frame of their kitchen. She's wearing a pale chemise she usually sleeps in.  
  
“Fell.” He says. “Hurt myself, Ma Ma.” He whispers. He tries to figure out where she was and how he didn't see her.  
  
“How did you manage to do that?” She prowls over, slow. In a brief moment, Techie remembers Matt's neighbor. She leans on the counter an inch away from him, and Techie tries to figure out if he should meet her eyes or not.  
  
“Rolled-- Fell out of my-- the chair.”  
  
“Unfortunate.” She hisses and grabs his wrist and yanks so that he was closer to her. He meets her eyes. He feels her nails dig into his skin. “Where did you hurt yourself?” It sounds like she's playing with him now. He blinks.  
  
“Back.”  
  
“Oh. Here?” Her other hand, the one not on his wrist, presses into the top of his back. “Or here?” Her hand slinks lower slowly, and Techie realizes she's drunk. Fuck fuck fuck. Fuck. Fuck.  He nods when her hand rests on the small of his back. “Does it hurt?” He nods. “A lot?” He nods again. “Poor thing.” She leaves him abruptly and comes back with a twenty. She slides it into hand. “Go get an ice pack or something.”  
  
She's gone before Techie realizes what just happened. He's starring at the money, before, almost on auto pilot, he walks to the door, slips on his sneakers and leaves the house.  
  
It's four in the morning, where was he supposed to go?  
  
He looks up at the apartment building, where he thinks Matt's apartment would be. He sees someone on a balcony smoking. It's dark, he can't get a good read on who that was, everything sort of had the same dark blue color right now. The person gets up to lean against the railing and then waves at him. Matt?  
  
Did Matt smoke?  
  
He heads over to the apartment building anyway. He gets off on the fourth floor and walks in the same direction he walked last time when he sees the Neighbor smiling at him. Hux.  
  
“How are you?” He asks and it's dry. Like he isn't posturing this time. “Saw you outside.” Techie is surprised Hux smokes. But then, Madeline smokes too.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“...” Hux smiles at him. “Let's wake Matt up then, shall we?” And before Techie can stop the other man he's knocking on Matt's door.  It takes Matt maybe a minute before he's at the door. His hair is all a disheveled mess, and he has a pair of thin rimmed glasses. “I think this is yours.” Hux smiles before slinking back into his apartment. Techie stares after him. He can't help himself.  
  
“Are you alright?” Matt asks.  
  
“Hurt my back.” Techie says automatically, still starring after Hux.  
  
“Come in then.” He moves to the side and Techie goes inside. Matt isn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of loose pants. “Where did you hurt it?” Techie contorts an arm to show his lower back. “You aren't wearing the same sweater.” He mumbles as he lifts the grey shirt up. The air is cold against his lower back.  
  
“Yeah.” He says.  
  
“It's bruised pretty bad if I can tell it's bruised in this light.” Matt kind of pushes him to the couch. Techie realizes he must have just woken Matt up, and he feels kind of shit about it. Techie slumps onto the couch and lets Matt smear something onto his lower back that numbs is almost instantly.  
  
“Sorry. For waking you.”  
  
“Yeah. Whatever.” He turns and walks back into his bed room before turning around. “Are you staying or?”  
  
“Uh, no? If you want me to, I guess, I don't know.”  
  
“Yeah.” Matt says, and it sounds slurred. He walks over, pulls at the back of the couch before it drops flat. “Sleep.”  
  
Techie watches Matt go back into his bedroom to fall flat on his bed. He looks back on the couch and then at the balcony door. He walks over to it and slides it open. It's a nice view, it could even be a great view if it wasn't for the fact that Hux was outside smoking again. Techie considers ducking inside immediately, but Hux smiles at him and he resigns himself. He sits on the little deck chair.  
  
“Is she as awful as everyone says she is?” Hux asks.  
  
“Who?”  
  
“You know who.” Millicent is twisting between Hux's legs and Techie chooses to focus on the cat instead.  
  
“Yeah.” Techie nods. “She is.”  
  
“Mm.” Hux lets out a long stream of smoke into the night air. “How did you meet him?”  
  
“He stalked-- followed me around a store.”  
  
“Do you like him?”  Another long column of smoke.  
  
“I-- Uh. I – guess-- I --can't complain.”  
  
“Mm. Do you smoke?” Hux gets up and leans on the edge of his balcony. Techie feels weird as he gets up to stand with him.  
  
“Never tried--” He gets off before he watches a grin spread on Hux's face. The same dangerous thing Madeline had. Techie swallows.  
  
“Really? I would assume she would insist on you testing the products.” This entire thing seems like a fever dream. It doesn't seem real or feasible. It's four in the morning, the night is still very present around them.  
  
“A cigarette. I smoked weed--- before. Stress.” He mumbles and Hux smiles.  
  
“Same thing then, you just hold it a little different.” Techie watches as the man's hand cross the small gap between the two balconies and holds out the cigarette in slim fingers. Techie takes it. He brings it to his lips and takes a drag before blowing it out. “I was expecting you to cough, honestly. You don't seem the type.”  
  
“She--” Techie takes another long drag before passing it back to Hux who was resting his elbows on the railing, a very relaxed pose. God, just his luck. “Yeah, she wanted me to,you know,  to know how to.”  
  
“Wanted or forced?” The smile gets wider.  
  
“Forced.”  Hux takes a drag and blows it away from both of them. The smoke just clouds his mind even more.  
  
“Mm.” He passes the cigarette back to Techie, who takes another drag. It almost catches on his throat, almost makes him cough, but he feels like if he does at this point, Hux was going to brain on the railing. “You can come to me too. If she hurts you to much.” Techie gives him the cigarette back.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
“So polite.” Hux laughs. “Come here.” He says and takes a long drag. Techie doesn't know where here was considering they were already very close, but he shuffles a little closer. Hux cups his face and before Techie can do anything about it, Hux kisses him. Well, no, not really. He's shotgunning him, and Techie inhales the smoke passed to him. Hux pulls away. “Good night.” He says over his shoulder and disappears inside his apartment, Millicent following after him. When the door slides closed Techie lets the rest of the smoke out.  
  
“Fuck.” Techie scratches at his hand. He would say that was the most surreal thing that ever happened to him, but it wasn't even that weird for him.    
  
“Fucking fuck.” He whispers before sitting down on the lawn chair. He groans along with it. He leans his head back against the glass.  
  
“Fuuuuuuuck.” He touches his lips gently. He can still feel Hux on him. Gross.


	3. Bad Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt has issues. 
> 
> Techie aids and abets in a crime. 
> 
> Hux smokes. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anxiety TW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the crazy kind words and the attention. 
> 
> I'm so glad you like this.
> 
> This one gets a little intense, so please take care. 
> 
> <3

Matt walks into his living his room.  
  
It's dark, pitch black, he doesn't know what time it is. Actually, he isn't a hundred precent sure that he was even in his living room. He just knew that he walked out of his bedroom. Well, it feels like he did. When he turns back to look, it's just more darkness.  
  
He isn't worried though. There's a deep sense of calm all around him, and he himself is calm. The darkness all enveloping. He takes a step forward and water laps at his feet. At least he thinks it's water. It is very very dark after all.  
  
When he looks up Techie is standing in the water, facing away from him. He can only tell because Techie's hair spills over his shoulders. Now, like this, the only source of light in the room, he's beautiful. That delicateness, presented front and center. He's wearing tiny lime green shorts, cut in a weird way, showing more skin then necessary. A tight piece of matching fabric wrapped around his chest, a bra, maybe.  
  
Doesn't look right.  
  
Matt moves closer, until the water is at his upper thighs. Maybe Techie stands over him, Matt's head matching his lower back in height. He tries to call out, but there's no noise, not even air. In lo of anything else, his hand brushes against Techie's lower back.  
  
He stumbles backwards when a bruise begins to bloom there. Matt watches it grow, slowly, spreading out from the point his fingers touched skin. He can't look away. Techie turns though, Matt wishes he didn't.  
  
His eyes are wide, inhumanly wide, taking up more space then usual, the same blue. His temple is bleeding, pouring out, covering half his face. The blood almost looks like hair from his angle. Techie reaches out for him and Matt tries to pull away before a hand cups his face.  
  
Matt watches in horror as the hand bends and then the arm bends in awful wrong angles, like the bones snapped out of the skin. Another hand cups his face again and it goes up in burns. Matt tries to pull away harder now, but Techie has a hold of him.  
  
He's smiling, wide, as he leans down. Matt watches Techie's mouth move. He can't hear, can't understand what Techie is saying. He shakes his head. Techie laughs now.  
  
Techie leans down to kiss him. 

  
.  
.  
.

  
  
Matt wakes up. He bolts up, forward, the sheets that weren't on the floor pooling around his hips. It takes him a minute, his chest heaving. He's sweating, a lot. As he tries to calm down he hears a knock at the door that must have been going on for sometime. Techie was in his apartment, he remembers. Late last night, Hux let him in. Right, right. It was coming back to him.  
  
Sort off.  
  
“Give me a sec.” He rasps out and realizes that, yeah, he's been screaming too. God, how was he going to explain this shit? His phone brightens and when he reaches over he's missed four calls. It's eleven in the morning. Christ, where did his schedule go? He stumbles out of bed and opens the door.  
  
Techie stares at him, wide eyed. Matt rubs his face.  
  
“Okay?” He asks, and Matt shrugs. Maybe. He can't remember the last time he's had a dream that vivid.  “I should go.” Techie mumbles a second later, scratching his hand. Matt has to close and open his eyes several times, to make sure that he's back, that things make sense again.  
  
“Let me see your back before you do.” He says instead of what ever the right thing to say is.  
  
“It's fine.”  
  
“Let me see it anyway?”  Techie stiffens up. He turns around and Matt lifts the grey shirt up.  “You aren't wearing the same sweater.”  
  
“You said that yesterday.” Matt can see him fidget pretty badly. The bruise got smaller, but he's scared to touch it, to check if it hurts as bad as it looks. It's irrational. He's angry with himself for being stupid. He lets the shirt drop and Techie turns around.  
  
“Where did you get that?”  
  
“What?” Techie looks down at the shirt. “I won it in a raffle. Online.” As if he went outside. “I didn't have time to change.” He mumbles.  
  
“Into the yellow sweater? This is better. It suits you.” Techie looks offended for a second. Why can he control his face so well? Matt takes a deep breathe. He was only going to get angrier. “I have work to do.” He says.  
  
“Sorry.” Techie mumbles and heads towards the door. “Bye.” He mumbles and walks towards the door. Matt goes back into his bedroom to get his phone. 3009, 4009, 2009, 1009. Great, another leak. It's been nothing but leaks for the past three months. Well, the railing on the service staircase broke but that was five minutes of work.  
  
“Sleep well?” He hears and sticks his head into the living room. Techie was standing in the hallway and Kylo was standing in front of him. The door closed. Matt sprinted into the kitchen, grabbed a glass and pushed it against the door.  
  
“...Yeah.” He could barely hear him, but Techie sounded more worried then he usually did.  
  
“That's great.” Kylo sounds happy. “Is he treating you alright?”  
  
What?  
  
“Fine.”  
  
“Good. If he bothers you-”  
  
W h a t ?  
  
“It's fine.”  
  
“Just, you know, if. Hux and I can watch over you, or whatever.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“So where are you-”  
  
“Home.”  
  
“Want me to walk you?”  
  
“It's fine.”  
  
“See you around then.” Kylo laughs.  
  
Matt's blood runs cold. He feels sick. He must be over reacting. Yeah, that's it. He's overreacting. He didn't hear the whole conversation. Maybe they weren't even talking about him. Everything was fine. He and Kylo were friends. Kylo liked him. Techie liked him. He was a likable person. Why would he treat anyone badly? Everything was fine. Techie was fine. Yeah, that's it. They were talking about a different person. It wasn't about him. It totally wasn't about him. Why would it be? No, it wasn't. It wasn't about him, so there was no reason to feel so sick so worried so panicked. Everything was fine he was fine it was okay. People liked him people liked him people liked him. He didn't hear the whole conversation so there was no reason to worry he wasn't worrying everything is fine everything is good Kylo Ren likes him Techie likes him Kylo Ren is his friend Techie is his friend people like him he is likable everything is fine he feels sick he feels so sick oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god oh go—-  
  
He throws up in the sink. 

  
.  
.  
.

  
Techie stares at the screen, his fingers cramping up. His neck hurts pretty bad too, but he doesn't move it. Madeline was hovering over him the entire time and now she was standing with her head on his shoulder starring at the screen just as intently as he was. Every now and again he chances a look at her, just out of the corner of his eye.  
  
She always meets his gaze. His eyes snap back to the monitor and he keeps typing. He doesn't understand why she's hovering over him like this, she doesn't know code. Or at least he doesn't think she does, because then why would she bother with him?  
  
“How much longer?” She hisses into his ear. She sounds bored. He would be too.  
  
“Few minutes, I think.”  
  
“You think or you know?” Christ alive.  
  
“I know, Ma.” She makes a point of huffing more air onto his ear. He shivers from it.  
  
It was her idea, most things are, she's in charge for a reason. A website for their product on the dark web. He's been working on it for a few days now, fine tuning things. He doesn't use a preset, it makes him nervous but the .onion takes longer to make then he thought it would at first. He made it on Tor and felt gross the entire time. He pushes the button to have it upload and waits the thirty seconds it should take. When it's done he tells her as much.  
  
“Good.” She says and finally, finally, finally pushes away from him. Kay is still living on their couch, and Caleb was told to wait, so Techie can't leave. He really doesn't want to be here right now though. Where would he even go though? His thoughts drifted to the apartment building. His hand drifted to his lips slowly.  
  
“Kid!” He jumps out his seat, the chair flying backwards. Caleb is standing in the door way with a bottle of beer. “You coming or what?” He nods, tries to ignore Caleb laughing as he rights his chair and meets him in the doorway. Caleb flattens himself as Techie passes. Madeline smiles wide when she sees him again, and Techie feels nervous.  
  
They drink. They drink a lot, with a sort of abandon Techie couldn't see himself possessing. They aren't violent tonight, slow and happy. Techie smiles along with them from time to time. He doesn't drink, just watches them.  
  
They talk about a lot of things, the business, mostly. Rival gangs, prices, inventory. He can't remember the last time the three of them were this calm. It could be interesting, he thinks, if his life wasn't as shitty as it was right now.  
  
The judge gets brought up. A vigilante, Techie realizes. A group of them, maybe. The things people do with their free time is ridiculous, Techie thinks. If he could do what ever he wanted with his time he would...  
  
Garden.  
  
Yes, that was good. He would garden, or he would…  
  
Techie slips back into his room when they all fall asleep on the living room floor, feeling sadder for some reason. 

  
.  
.  
.

  
Hux stands on his balcony and frowns. Ren is asleep in the little lawn chair next to him, still tired from the long day. Hux is pretty tired too. Snoke was getting more and more absurd with his demands of the younger man, the body count was mounting and he watched as Kylo did what he hated doing. Hux had no problems with it, not really. His father had raised him well enough.  
  
Well enough considering.  
  
Hux watches him, his chest raising and falling to a slow rhythm. Hux is overwhelmed with a desire to push his hands through Ren's hair, slowly, to grab at the very ends and yank. He doesn't though. He lights a cigarette and leans on the railing. He can see the boy outside, gardening. He did that a lot, Hux noticed. He wondered if it was a hobby or a coping mechanism.  
  
Maybe he should take up a hobby.  
  
No, he's too busy. Much to busy. It's bad enough that he's been charged with watching Ren. Not an ounce of free time left. He takes a drag, a slow one, lets the smoke roll down his throat and settle in his lungs. He can feel it, blooming and filling him, before he exhales and it rushes out into the air around him.  
  
Smoking could be a hobby. People collected pipes and went out of their way to by new expensive tobacco. He looks over at Ren again. Did he have a hobby? He liked watching movies, Hux knew, liked working out, liked the color black, liked Hux. Hux can't help but smile, just a little bit.  
  
He doesn't know when he managed to grow this fond. His father would have words. He's overcome with desire again, this time to cup Kylo's face gently, to pull him around a little, the way he knew Kylo liked. He takes another drag instead. Better to let the man rest for as long as possible. They were called out again tonight.  
  
Hux sighed. He turned his eyes back on the boy. He would be lying if he said he didn't think about him. He was just too convenient to over look. He thinks about that night, about kissing the boy, however briefly. He wouldn't do it again.  
  
Ren stirs, and Hux has to laugh. It's almost as if the other man was a mind reader. Hux watches Ren over his shoulder, the way those big eyes opened slowly, blinking the sleep away. He jolts forward just a bit.  
  
“I'm awake.”  
  
“I can tell.”  
  
“Mm.” He makes a noise in the back of his throat. “It's getting cold.” He says and Hux watches as he tries to turn in on himself. It's funny to watch, a 6'2 man, clumping together.  
  
“Go to bed.” Hux says instead of anything else.  
  
“Come with me.” Ren purrs. Hux roles his eyes.  
  
“Who's going to wake you up if I do?”  
  
“Oh.” Ren stretches out, getting up and out of the chair. He shuffles forward until his body is flush against Hux's, his arms wrapped around Hux's waist, his face buried in Hux's neck. “I want to sleep with you though.” He whines into Hux's skin.  
  
Hux smiles because he knows Ren can't see him. He takes another drag.  
  
“Act your age.”  
  
“Mm-mm.” He yawns instead, straight into Hux's ear.  
  
“I will throw you off the balcony.”  
  
“Try.” Ren whispers and kisses his neck. Hux would push him away, but he's right. It's getting colder. “Hux?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You love me right?” Hux roles his eyes and takes another long drag. He savors it.  
  
“Do you think I would put up with you if I didn't?” He asks.  
  
“If Snoke said you had too.” There's a sadness to his voice that irritates Hux more then anything else in the world. If his father would see him now. He puts out his cigarette and turns with Ren's arms still around him.  
  
He kisses Kylo. Slow and deep, bitting as he goes, at his lips, his tongue. Kylo's arms tighten around his waist. Hux's hands reach for Kylo's hair and he lets out a low whine. He pulls, gently, just till the burn.  
  
“Hux?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I love you.” Hux pushes him into the apartment.  
  
Public decency laws were so bothersome.

  
.  
.  
.

  
A day later Matt makes it out of his apartment. He goes through the motions, fixes the leaks like he's supposed too. When he's done he crawls back inside and locks himself in his room. He doesn't leave for another two days until someone complains about a short circuit. He goes and fixes that and then crawls back into his room.  
  
He doesn't really know what to do, everything either upsets him or irritates him beyond belief, so he sits in his room and stares outside the window. He can't see much but it doesn't really bother him. He considers calling someone, that's the type of thing you're supposed to do when you feel like this, right? But he doesn't. He doesn't do anything for the next day either.  
  
There's a knock at his door at three in the morning, so he gets up and answers it. It's Techie. He wasn't sleeping, it doesn't matter. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but Techie's wrist is sprained and bruising in an ugly way.  
  
He gets a splint for him, does the basic first aid and pulls out the couch.  
  
“Okay?” Techie asks, and Matt doesn't even register it at first. He realizes they haven't said a word to each other. That was kind of upsetting.  
  
“Fine.” He barks back at him. Techie shrinks away from him. Techie sits on the couch and then lays back. He sleeps on his side, Matt realizes, curled in on himself. It's pathetic. Who cares if this brat likes him or not, it doesn't matter. Who cares, honestly. H O N E S T L Y.  
  
“Night.” Techie mumbles, and Matt can't take it anymore. He C a n ' t. He sits on the couch, grabs one of Techie's shoulders and pushes it down until Techie is on his back. His eyes are unbelievably wide.  
  
“Do you like me?” Matt asks because he can't not ask. He can't not ask.  
  
“What are you doing?” There's a sharpness to his voice that only pisses Matt off more.  
  
“Do. You. Like. Me?”  
  
“You're hurting me.” Techie says. “Let me go.” Techie says. “please.” Techie says.  
  
Matt lurches away from him. God, what was he thinking? How could he do this to Techie who was abused on a daily basis. He felt sick again. What a monster. What a disgusti----  
  
“Matt, are you okay?” Matt turns to look at him.  
  
“I don't know.” He says. His skin feels like it's on fire.  
  
“Okay.” Techie says and that's his default bad answer. “It's okay.” A hand is on his shoulder and Techie is sitting back up. “Yeah.” He says.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I like you.” He mumbles. “You're a good person.”  
  
“Really?” As Techie nods, Matt needs more. “I'm likable? Honestly?”  
  
“I like you.” Techie says again. “I'm not lying.”  
  
“Okay.” Matt says. “Okay.” He feels like he's all over the place, like his body can't contain him. “Why?”  
  
“You care about me, I guess. Maybe? I --- I'm not--- You---- I hope you do. I---- No one has-----Mm.” He says.  
  
“Good.” After a second he asks, “Do you think Kylo Ren likes me?”  
  
“...Yes? He talked about---”  
  
“Me? He talked about me? To you?”  
  
“Uh, yeah. He said--- mentioned--- you work out--- together! That you---”  
  
“Okay.” Matt had to get up, because the energy was too much all at once. He walked around a bit, wide circles. He tried not to think about what Techie thought about him now.  
  
“Matt?”  
  
“Sorry, sorry. Yeah. I'm good. You like me, right? Yeah.” He nods. “Are you okay?” He finally asks. Techie nods. “I'm sorry.” Matt says. “About all of this.”  
  
“It happens.” Techie nods again. Matt notices he's wearing the same gray shirt.  
  
“Are you wearing that for me?” He asks, and watches, against all odds, all previous beliefs that Techie blushes a little. Just barely. A wall of calm crashes into him.  
  
“I--- no it---- I mean---- I----” He shakes his head but Matt doesn't believe him.  
  
“Thank you.” He says and smiles and watches Techie slowly, nervously smile back at him.  
  
“Yeah. Okay.” Right. Enough. Techie was probably tired anyway. “I'm going to bed.” He walks up to Techie and and doesn't realize that he kisses Techie's forehead before he's in his own room. 

  
.  
.  
.

  
  
As Matt is about to leave his apartment to go patch up a radiator in the basement he notices the card taped to his door. The same rainbow one that he told Techie to bye a few weeks ago. He smiles and tucks it into his jacket pockets.  
  
He doesn't mention it to Techie and he certainly doesn't mention the fact that he looks at it twenty four times through out the day.  
  
It even smells like him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, for those wondering, here is what dream Techie is wearing-  
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/274197288/silk-bandeau-bralette-alice-silk?ref=shop_home_active_2  
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/287708369/stretch-silk-sleep-shorts-alice-silk
> 
> And this is the gray shirt-  
> http://66.media.tumblr.com/64f30d09a834a66fca2c811aeeb82ee3/tumblr_o4lxghG6Y11qb1h5lo2_1280.jpg


	4. Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techie has a sleepover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so so so much for the continued interest and support.
> 
> I hope you continue to like it as much as you have. 
> 
> This is a pretty short chapter, but I think it works as a contained unit.
> 
> [Also now with fanaRT HOLY FUCK](http://son--of--the--south.tumblr.com/post/151302879863/i-wanted-to-draw-a-fanart-of-one-of-my-favorite)
> 
> not beta'd

He wasn't expecting her to hurt him.   
  
He should have, it was obvious that it was coming, but for the past few weeks things have been good. So, so, good.  He feels more stupid then anything else when she grabs his hand and yanks. He should know better by now, should know how to react, what to expect. He doesn't.   
  
It had been a calm day. He watered all of his plants, and sat outside while the mist rolled in. He took his shoes off, let his feet rest in the wet grass. He took longer then he was supposed to, but she didn't say anything to him. It was fine.   
  
It was a calm night too, it didn't clear up much, but it was that time in the year when it wasn't going to clear up at all. He cleaned around the house and made them dinner and disappeared into his room. Got a little bit of extra work done, even. He was pretty happy when he went to bed.   
  
He woke up to her standing over him, starring. He doesn't say anything for a long time, she doesn't react. After what could have been an hour, she motions for him to follow and he goes, of course he goes. He doesn't even question it. She shows him the dishes he didn't clean and then leans against the counter as he washes them. When he's done, he's stupid enough to ask if he was done.   
  
She grabs his hand.

Yanks.  
  
Techie didn't know it could bend that far back.   
  
He leaves after a minute of her telling him exactly what would happen if she saw him again. It hurts, he can barely move his fingers. He tries not to pay attention to his own crying as he crosses the street and rides up the elevator to the fourth floor.   
  
Matt doesn't say much until he's done splinting his hand. It's weird, hearing him be this quiet.  
  
“Okay?”  
  
“Fine.” He sounds irritated, and Techie doesn't know what too do. Of course he would be irritated, it's three in the morning. He probably has a job he has to wake up for. What did Matt even do for a living? He didn't know a lot about him.  
  
“Night.” Techie mumbles and lays down on the couch. He freezes up as Matt sits on the couch, grabs one of Techie's shoulders and pushes it down until Techie is on his back. There's the rub he's been waiting for. Of course this wasn't a good thing, how could it be? Techie doesn't get good things.  
  
“Do you like me?” Matt asks and Techie doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know how to handle this.   
  
“What are you doing?” Stupid. Stupid. Stupid question. Matt seems to grow even bigger with that. Techie throws a glance at the wall and wonders how loud he was going to have to scream to have Matt's neighbors hear.  
  
“Do. You. Like. Me?”    
  
“You're hurting me.” He says. “Let me go.” He says. “please.” He says.  He can't do anything else, not with one hand hurt and Matt over him.   
  
Matt pulls away almost immediately, like he was scalded by hot water. Like someone pulled his hand out of it's socket. Techie lays flat, doesn't move and continues to not know what to do. Leave. He stares at the ceiling. Leave is the correct answer. Leave and get Hux and deal with that when he gets there.

Hux? Why did his mind go straight to Hux? Since when did he trust Hux?   
  
“Matt, are you okay?” He asks instead. Moron. Stupid. Idiot.  
  
“I don't know.” Reassuring. That is exactly what Techie wanted to hear. Perfect.   
  
“Okay.” Techie says and that's his default bad answer. “It's okay.” Techie sits up and puts a hand on Matt's shoulder.  “Yeah.” He says.   
  
“What?” The strategy which enters Techie's head is a bad one. He doesn't like it, he doesn't want it, but realistically, if Matt was mad at him, he was fucked. A lot more fucked then with Madeline. So he says the thing that comes to mind, even though he wishes he doesn't. Wishes he can talk it back the second the words leave his mouth.   
  
“I like you.” He mumbles. “You're a good person.”   
  
“Really?” As Techie nods, Matt takes a step towards him. “I'm likable? Honestly?” How bad was the situation if Techie thought Hux was a good idea? How bad was it that he considered throwing himself off the balcony as good idea.   
  
“I like you.” Techie says again. “I'm not lying.”  He doesn't believe it, and he's sure Matt doesn't either.  
  
“Okay.” Matt says. “Okay.” No, Techie realizes, he does. He does believe him. He needs this. He needs this so much.  “Why?”    
  
“You care about me, I guess. Maybe? I --- I'm not--- You---- I hope you do. I---- No one has-----Mm.” He says, eloquent as always. He needs to leave. It can't keep going on.   
  
“Good.” After a second he asks, “Do you think Kylo Ren likes me?”   
  
What?  
  
“...Yes? He talked about---”

Techie scanned his brain for the brief conversation he had with Kylo in the hallway.   
  
“Me? He talked about me? To you?”   
  
“Uh, yeah. He said--- mentioned--- you work out--- together! That you---”   
  
“Okay.” Matt walks in wide circles around the living room. Techie worries. Erratic behavior.  
  
“Matt?”   
  
“Sorry, sorry. Yeah. I'm good. You like me, right? Yeah.” He nods. “Are you okay?” He finally asks. Techie nods. “I'm sorry.” Matt says. “About all of this.”   
  
“It happens.” Techie nods again. It doesn't. Who does this? Matt does. Matt who's never done anything to him before.   
  
“Are you wearing that for me?” Matt points at Techie's shirt and gets closer again. Techie leans back, only slightly. He feels uncomfortable.   
  
“I--- no it---- I mean---- I----” It's his sleep shirt and the words aren't coming out of him correctly. God, what is he going to think now?  
  
“Thank you.” He says and smiles and watches Techie slowly, nervously smile back at him because what else was left for him to do?  
  
“Yeah. Okay.” Right.  
  
 “I'm going to bed.” He walks up to Techie and Techie freezes hardcore because Matt's mouth touches his forehead. He's gone a second later.  Techie gets up. No. No, no, no. Absolutely not. Sleeping here was tantamount to drawing a target on his skull. He's filled with nervous energy, his hands shake just a bit.   
  
He slips out of the apartment very quietly, and knocks on Hux's door instead, as gently as he can. It's stupid, expecting an answer. It's three in the morning. After a second or two, though, he hears a light scratching at the door. Millicent, probably. Hux cracks the door open and when he realizes it's Techie he opens it completely.   
  
Techie politely ignores the semi-automatic Beretta in his hand and focuses on Millie's fur rubbing his legs.  Hux doesn't even bother tucking the gun away anywhere.   
  
“Is something wrong?” He asks, and it sounds almost genuine. Almost like there isn't an hidden motive. Techie shakes his head. “Why are you not next door then?”   
  
“Please.” _Don't make me say it_ , he thinks. _You knew. You knew what would happen.You let it happen anyway._   
  
“Of course.” The grin is on his face again. “You must be tired. Sadly, we don't have a pull out couch.”   
  
“I'm fine with-”  
  
“No, no, no.” Hux shakes his head and smiles. “Come to bed.” Techie almost turns around right then, almost bolts, almost says fuck it and goes back to Madeline, because maybe, maybe, maybe this time she was going to bash his brains out and it would all be over. But he doesn't.   
  
“Armitage?” It's Kylo, calling from the bed room who's door is open. Armitage? He looks at Hux who looks irritated, lets his face drop. What kind of name is--   
  
“My father wanted a lot.” He hisses out. “I prefer Hux.” He says before he slips into the bed room and the door closes behind him. He half expect screaming, or something breaking. None of that happens. What type of relationship did they have? He shouldn't be curious, he should be leaving. “Come here.” Hux is at the door again, with a pair of clothes that he's certain are too big on him.   
  
“I don't-”   
  
“Where are you going to go then?”   
  
“Don't be a dick.” Kylo calls from the bedroom. It's towards Hux, who seems to sigh, bodily. He can see why Matt likes him.  
  
It's a good question, though, where is he going to go? Back to Matt? Back to Madeline?   
  
“I don't know.” Techie mumbles. Hux sighs again and walks over to him. Techie thinks that if he wasn't slouched over, they might be the same height.   
  
“We won't hurt you.” He says. Techie doesn't trust him. “What do we gain from that?” Hux whispers, low enough that Kylo doesn't hear.   
  
“Anything you want.” Techie whispers back. Hux laughs.   
  
“What happened to you?” He whispers. “What did he do?”   
  
“Nothing.” He says. He looks at the ground, at Millicent still doing figure eights between his legs. Hux doesn't believe him. Techie doesn't believe himself. But really, he thinks, what did Matt do? It really wasn't that bad, and the more Techie thinks about, the more he realizes what he said was true. Matt didn't hurt him, not really. He didn't even seem to want too.   
  
Everyone has off days.   
  
He doesn't know what set him off, if it was even Techie's fault to begin with. Matt didn't say it was. Madeline was always clear, when Techie fucked up, everyone knew exactly who to blame. But Matt didn't say anything. So, maybe Techie over reacted. Maybe it was adrenaline from his wrist getting hurt. He feels stupid again. An overreaction.   
  
“You're tired.” Hux says, his normal volume returned.   
  
“Yeah.” He says. He doesn't know what to do. Hux never hurt him either. Both of them had been nothing but kind, so maybe it was just more overreactions? He takes the clothes out of Hux's hand, a pair of boxers and a tank top, they must be Kylo's. But still.  Something clean to sleep in. The last time he was in a bed with someone he was eight and his parents were still alive.  
  
“Are they okay?” Techie shakes his head before he can stop. It's an automatic response at this point, he realizes. It must be. He shakes his head again. Fuck no, wait. “I can find something else.”   
  
“It's fine.” Techie says. He stumbles over the words. He doesn't like thinking about it. Them. It. “Just-- my-- scars, I don't--- want to--- it's, they- gr-” Hux cuts him off.   
  
“Say no more. We all have our fair share.” He plucks the clothes out of Techie's hands and disappears into the room again. Techie picks Millicent up and pets her slowly. It's just an overreaction. He was tired, Madeline caught him by surprise, that was all. His head hurt. When Hux comes back, he's holding out a pair of sweats and a shirt much closer to his own size then Kylo's. They must be Hux's. “Change in here and come in when you're ready.” He says.   
  
The smile is back on his face before he closes the door.  Techie let's Millicent go, and she drops to the ground gracefully before sprinting into the bedroom. Techie, for the first time in an hour, breathes. Relaxes.  
  
He takes his clothes off, barring the briefs he's wearing now, and pulls on Hux's clothes. They are soft, comfortable. He likes them. He doesn't own anything half as nice. He twists in them a little, just to feel himself.   
  
He takes a deep breathe and before he can stop himself, he opens their door. They both look at him.  
  
“That's fucking eerie.”  Kylo says. “For a second he looked just like you.”   
  
“He's not just like me.” Hux says, shaking his head. "There is no one like me." Kylo snorts.   
  
“Must have been the light.” Kylo lays back. It's dark, but Hux was right. Both of them have enough scars that Techie can see in the low light. He tries not to think about it too hard. He doesn't want another little melt down. It's silly. And besides. He wants this.   
  
It's a shock, to admit it, to acknowledge that he wants contact that is unassuming, that is gentle and kind and soft. He's tired of sleeping alone in a concrete box. Hux raises an arm and before Techie can rationalize it, Kylo lifts one of his as well.  
  
He takes both of theirs and slides in between them.   
  
It takes a fair bit to settle. Kylo tosses back and forth, and Hux is apparently at war with himself over where his arm should go. Techie has to wiggle to get comfortable after he positions his hurt hand. In the end, they wrap around him. Kylo's head over his, Hux's arm around his waist.  It's warm. It would be to hot if the window wasn't open. He wonders if they planned this, but the thought is gone as soon as Millicent paws at his feet and settles there.   
  
Good. He thinks.   
  
Finally. He thinks.   
  
For a second, he thinks, it would be better if Matt was here with him.   
  
He falls asleep pretty quickly.  

  
.  
.  
.

  
  
They have breakfast together, it's somehow even weirder. Techie continues to not mention the gun on the table they eat at, Hux reads a tablet intently, and Kylo inhales his food.   
  
“We can do that again, if you want.” Kylo says after he stops for a few minutes.   
  
“Mm.” Hux says, not looking up.   
  
“Thanks.” Techie says, nodding. Kylo offers him a big smile.   
  
They leave for work and walk him out of the building as they do so. Hux has a car, it's expensive. He offers to drive him but Techie shakes his head. He points to his house and Kylo laughs. Hux makes a face and they say their good byes. Techie watches them drive off before heading back home. Madeline, Kay, and Caleb are gone. He goes into his room and picks up the spool of copper wire he has by his computer.   
  
He doesn't really know what he's going to make yet, no solid shape coming too him, but he bends it gently. He thinks about what last night felt like, goes through all the events in his brain and lets his hands interpret.   
  
It looks like a... a cat? Maybe? It has more legs then necessary, two tails, and only one lopsided ear. He doesn't know what it's supposed to be. He sets it on top of his main monitor. When he leans back in his chair to stare at it he sees something colorful sticking out from behind it. Just a corner.   
  
Techie pulls out and remembers the card Matt had insisted he by at the supermarket. He grabs a roll of scotch tape and leaves the house.  
  
When he tapes it to Matt's door, he hopes it's a good enough apology. 


	5. Transition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techie moves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for the interest and support.
> 
> It's been super rainy and I have two midterms and an essay due on Monday and Tuesday so I thought, hey. 
> 
> It's the best time. 
> 
> It's not super long though, but there will be another chapter out pretty soon. 
> 
> I hope you continue to enjoy it. 
> 
> not beta'd
> 
> EDIT: MY COMPUTER SWALLOWED THE CHAPTER I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE REPOST AND FOR THE LOST COMMENTS D:

Madeline's been on edge. Techie doesn't know why, they don't bother telling him anything, they rarely do, but she's clearly bothered by something. Kay and Caleb avoid the house, so all of her energy gets thrown on him.  
  
He spends a lot of time out of the house. Well, a lot for him. The garden is coming in nicely, even though it's been gray out for almost three months know. Goes to show what a good fertilizer can do, he guesses. Madeline leaves him alone when he's in the dirt for the most part, which makes sense too. She probably  doesn't want to touch anything and ruin all his hard work.  
  
He bumps into Matt a lot more, in the store, or while the man is jogging. It's touch and go, but all in all, their relationship seems to be the same weird thing it's always been, the odd amicability where Techie doesn't know what either of them  are getting out of it.  
  
He sees Hux a lot too, which confuses him to no end. The man drives up to his house in his expensive convertible when ever Madeline is away and then just talks to him. Here, he knows Hux is getting something out of it, he just doesn't know what, exactly. Sometimes he sees Kylo, mostly with Matt running together. He guesses they're friends. There's not a lot to go off. But things have been good, relatively. He can't complain too much.  Life moves forward and all that.  
  
And then it all goes wrong.  
  
It's a Wednesday, it's seven in the evening, and it's pouring rain. Techie moves a curtain to the side, and he can barely see a few feet in front of the window. Madeline is behind him, her body almost pressed into his. Both of them stare out the window. Techie tries his hardest not to breathe.  
  
“Where do you go?” She asks, but she doesn't look at him.  
  
“Mama?”  
  
“When I kick you out. Where do you go?” He doesn't have a good answer. He does't know why he's never thought of anything to say, but he never thought he would have too. Every time she told him to fuck off, she was either too mad or too drunk to care.  
  
“Out?” Techie swallows and watches her from the corner of his eye. “I walk around.”  
  
“Mm.” She must not care enough to press it, but she's watching him all the same. He jumps when she puts a hand on his shoulder. “I'm hungry.” She says.  
  
“I can make-”  
  
“Go get take out.”  
  
Oh. Techie turned to meet her gaze for a second before looking back out the window. Neither of them had a car, they always used Kay's or Caleb's,  and it was a while to the bus stop, a good twenty minutes at least.  It was like someone was standing on their roof and pouring bucket after bucket after bucket down.  
  
He didn't have rain boots. It didn't rain enough to make economical sense, but he was pretty sure the water was at least up to his ankle. His sneakers were old, the water would soak through them almost immediately.  
  
But he nods and goes to get dressed as best he can. He puts on a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and an almost raincoat on with a pair of jeans and two pairs of socks. Maybe his feet wont be too cold that way.  He doubts it. He heads back up stairs and she gives him two twenties and he goes out.  
  
It's just as miserable as he expected it to be.  
  
By the time he gets to the bus stop, his feet are wet and cold, and he's shaking from it. His teeth are actually clattering. He sits down on the bench and waits. It's dark, but the street lights are on, so at least there's that.  
  
He waits for ten minutes, and the bus pulls up. He pays his 1.25 and takes a seat at the front. The bust is mostly empty, a mother and her child sit in the middle, and a homeless man is passed out in the back. Just as the bus is about to pull away, it screeches to a halt and the bus driver opens the door.  
  
Matt get's on, and he looks just as unhappy about the weather as everyone else. He spots Techie immediately and Techie watches as a smile spreads on his face. Matt pays and goes to sit next to him.  
  
“Dude, you're freezing.”  
  
“It's cold.” Techie says back.  
  
“You're drenched through!”  Techie feels a hand press to his cheek. “Here.”  
  
Matt pulls off the leather jacket he's wearing, and then the hoodie under that and gives it to Techie. Usually he would complain, but he's so cold he can't muster up an protest. He put it on under the overcoat and sighs. It still carries Matt's body heat.  He watches Matt put the leather jacket back on.  
  
“Come here.” He says and pulls Techie closer to him. This Techie does fight, because he knows the people stare at them, but once he feels warm again he stops caring.  
  
“You don't have a car?” He asks after a while. The takeout place Madeline likes is half an hour away.  
  
“Can't afford one.” Matt tells him.  
  
“Oh.” Techie says. He thinks he has to make conversation, considering he's pressed up against the man's chest. “That's kind of hard, in this city.”  
  
“You don't have a car either.” Matt points out.  
  
“Don't have a license.” He says. Madeline didn't want him to learn.  
  
“Oh. Where are you going this late anyway?” It's phrased oddly, but Techie is too busy leeching heat to              
think about it. He tells him the name of the takeout place and Matt smiles. “Me too.” If he can't afford a car, him getting takeout makes sense, Techie guesses.  
  
They get off at the stop and walk to the little Chinese place that's built into the bus station. They order their food and sit at a tiny table. It's not to busy, though it might have more to do with the weather then anything else. Matt orders five boxes of food, Techie orders three. Matt offers to by him coffee, but Techie doesn't drink it. Makes him twitchy. Matt substitutes the offer for hot chocolate.  
  
“...Yeah.”  
  
“Yeah?” Techie nods.  
  
“I'll be back in a minute then.” He's out of the restaurant in a few seconds. Techie waits for their orders.  
They get called the minute Matt comes back, so Techie gets the bags with food and Matt holds their drinks. Getting back onto the bus takes a lot less time.  
  
They sit close together again, Techie pressed against Matt's chest, both of them holding their drinks and starring out the window. It's dark, so there isn't much to do other then watch the raindrops get bigger on the way down.    
  
If the walk too the bus stop was bad, the walk back is only slightly tolerable. The wind's picked up, but Techie isn't alone anymore. His feet are still cold, but at least his hand's aren't anymore.  
  
When they get to Matt's building, Matt is about to wave him off before they simultaneously notice Hux's car in Techie's drive way. The lights in his house were on. Techie's heart has to stop for a second, because he feels the ground pull from under him. He doesn't know what he's more terrified of.  
  
Matt follows him to his house, and Techie lets them in, pulling his shoes of and acting as normally as possible. Maybe Hux just need to park his car where he knew it wouldn't be stolen. Yeah, maybe that's it. Matt idles in the doorway for a while, he really doesn't know what to do with himself, and Techie doesn't know what to do either.  
  
He leaves the food in the kitchen and goes into the living room, and god, he wishes he didn't.  
  
Caleb, or more accurately, Caleb's corpse lays on the carpet, blood slowly spreading out. Madeline is sitting on the sofa, Kay is on the floor holding his knee, Kylo is covered in blood, and Hux sits opposite.  
  
“Caleb, just the man I wanted to see.” Hux looks at him when he says it, but no, Caleb's dead on the floor, he doesn't understand what's going on. Kylo is breathing heavily enough that his entire body shakes. “Sit down.” He hears the smile he doesn't need to look for. He doesn't move from where he's standing. Caleb's blood has almost reached his feet. “Caleb?” Hux calls again. Techie looks up at him.  
  
“He's dead.” He says instead of anything conducive to the conversation at hand. “I don't-- under-- get--” He scratches his hand.  
  
“Caleb's your name, isn't it?” Kylo asks. “That's what you said.” He pivots to look at Kay, who groans and nods.  
  
“No-- I don't--- I mean--- it is, but--” He has to push air out of his lungs slowly. “I don't.. go by it. It's not--- not practical.”  
  
“Well, the other Caleb,” Hux pauses to nudge the corpse with his foot. He's wearing expensive shoes. “Is dead. So, Caleb.” And he looks at Techie again, reaches out his hand. “Come here.”  
  
“Don't.” Madeline says just as Techie lifts one leg to begin the movement. He settles it back down. He looks at Hux and looks at Madeline. He hears the front door open behind him. Hux gives Kylo a look.  
  
“It's Matt.” Techie says, before something bad can happen.  
  
“Well.” Hux says. “Let the child vomit in the yard. Come here.” The thought of vomit on his plants upsets him.  
  
“Don't move.” Madeline tells him again. “Stay put and don't move.” Techie can feel warmth touch his toes. He bends them out of the way.  
  
“Okay. Ren.” Hux says. Kylo moves over and grabs him by the wrist. He doesn't yank, but it would probably have been better if he did. Kylo manhandles him next to Hux, sits him down on the sofa. “We have so many things to talk about.” Hux says. A hand goes around his shoulder.  
  
A memory of warmth and softness overcomes him.  
  
“Do you know what your guardian-”  Hux spits the word out like it's filthy. “-Does for a living?” Techie nods. “That's good.” He says, in that soft voice he breaks out occasionally. “Do you want me to tell you why I'm here?” Techie doesn't say anything. He stares at the floor. At the massive stain he's going to slave over.  
  
“We work for an important man.” Kylo says.  
  
“Important is subjective.” Hux tells him almost immediately. “We need your guardian's supply, do you understand?” Techie nods. “Good.” It's a voice intended for children, he realizes. Is that what Hux thinks of him? Well, he behaves like one half the time anyway. “So, you understand why he's dead.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“And you said he was an idiot.” Hux smiles at Madeline. “See, Caleb, Madeline Madrigal makes a very special drug, and reverse engineering a problem.”  
  
“You're in a gang?” He can't stop himself and he can hear Madeline throwing her head back in irritation.  
  
“It's not a gang. It's an organization. We're on payroll.” Is that the only difference? “The point of the matter is, we need something she doesn't want to give up. Understandable, really. It's smart business, but...”  
  
“You --- you need --it.”  
  
“Right again.”  
  
“I really don't know what you--- what you could--- you do-- want me to-- do.”  
  
“Well, there's a website, isn't there?” Techie feels sick again. It must show because Hux shushes him. “It's nothing bad. I just want you to take it down.” Techie shakes his head.  
  
“You can't?” Kylo asks. He rests his hip against the sofa, a few inches from Madeline's head. Doesn't he know better? Techie keeps shaking his head. “You don't want to?” He stops and stares at the floor again.  
  
“Are you scared off her?” Hux whispers in Techie's ear, and he nods before he can control himself. It's a programmed reaction at this point. “Would you stay with us then? At least until all of this blows over?”  
  
“Ma will kill me.” He whispers back.  
  
“He's shaking.” Kylo says out loud.  
  
“She won't.” Techie shakes his head. Hux sighs and stands up. He walks out the front door and pulls out a phone. The room feels worse now that he's gone. Madeline is starring at him with enough anger that he can feel it from across the room. Kylo rocks on his feet. He doesn't know where Matt is. Kay whimpers.  
  
“She hits you a lot?” Kylo asks. Techie doesn't answer. Kylo is scary, but Hux is worse. Kylo mumbles something that sounds a lot like “she wouldn't if she didn't have hands.” but Madeline doesn't react and Techie doesn't look up.  
  
He remembers the warmth again. He wishes he was back in their bed with them instead of his living room. It's still cold. He's still wet. Hux comes back, his hair a bit wet. He pulls Kylo aside for a minute and they go back and forth for a while. They reach an agreement of some kind.  
  
“Do you have a lot of stuff?” Kylo asks him. Madeline is up in an instant, and apparently she doesn't care about what it was that landed Caleb and Kay on the floor.  
  
“You are not taking him anywhere.” She hisses.  
  
“That's cute.” Kylo says. “You think you can bargain.”  
  
“Watch her.” Hux orders and reaches his hand out until Techie understands that he's to go with him, until he finally gets up and shuffles over too Hux. “Where's your room?” He asks. Techie shows him. Hux doesn't say anything, but he gags under his breathe, just a little. “Get what ever you need. Don't worry about the computers, we'll get you better ones.”  
  
Techie's pretty sure they won't hurt him. They would have done it by now if they planned too. Techie gathers his stuff. The clothes he wears, his figures. It fills a single bag.  
  
“That's it?”  
  
“My plants.” He says.  
  
“Someone will move them for you by the end of the week.” Hux assures. They must want something from him aside from inconveniencing Madeline if they're going through all this trouble.  “I'll buy you better clothing. Let's go.” He helps him up the stairs. “You're cold.” He remarks.  
  
“It's---co---raining. It's raining... outside.”  
  
“It is.” Hux nods. “Do you want to wait in the car?”  
  
“Are you going--”  
  
“No. Not yet, anyway. She's still useful.” Techie nods.  
  
“Is Matt okay?”  
  
“He must have gone home. I didn't see him outside.”  
  
“Right.” Hux smiles.  
  
“Do you want to go wait in his apartment?” Techie nods.  
  
Techie does so.

.

.

.

 

  
  
Techie knocks on Matt's door. To his credit, it opens a few seconds later.  
  
“Are you okay?” Matt asks him.  
  
“Are you?” He asks back.  
  
“I-”  
  
“You threw up on my plants.” Techie says. His hand clutches the bag at his side.  “I was worried.”  
  
“You were?” Matt looks like his world brightened. Techie doesn't dignify it with a response. He waits until Matt steps aside and lets him in.  
  
“Do you still have food?” Techie asks when he sees the boxes in the kitchen. Matt nods. He helps himself. He thinks he can be a little selfish right now.  
  
“How can you- Never mind.” Matt mumbles as Techie devours the noodles in front of him. He hasn't eaten in eight hours. He's nervous. “Caleb?” Techie doesn't look up at him.  
  
“He's dead.” He says instead.  
  
“I mean, isn't that your name?”  
  
“What? I don't really...” He trails off. “I guess.”  
  
“It's a nice name.” Matt says.  
  
“Okay.” Techie doesn't really want to talk more. He just had to make sure Matt was alright. He looks alright.  
  
“Your aunt's a drug dealer?” He nods.  
  
“She's not my aunt, though. I'm not related. To her.”  
  
“Oh.” Techie eats and waits. “There's a corpse in your house.” Matt finally says.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“You're not freaking out.”  
  
“No.” Matt nods.  
  
“Right. Okay.” He says. “Did Hux kill her?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Unfortunate.” Matt says. Techie looks up at him. He's a disheveled mess. There's a knock at the door. Matt opens it and Hux and Kylo walk in. Kylo sees the food and helps himself, Techie moves to the side to let him.  
  
“The situation's been more or less taken care off.” Kylo is more of a messy eater then he is.  
  
“So the murder, that's not weird for anyone?” Matt asks out loud. It reminds Techie if something stupid he would say.  
  
“It's only weird if you make it weird.” Kylo says as he bites into a dumpling.  
  
“There's a body in his house.”  
  
“Sure.” Kylo clearly is used to this sort of thing. It's sort of impressive, but considering their line of work, it would be bad if he wasn't.  
  
“Should we call the police?”  
  
“Why would you do that?” Hux asks. He looks at the food and shakes his head.  
  
“Because of the corpse?!”  
  
“They have a way of getting rid of bodies.” Hux says. It is amazing how poorly Matt is handling this.  
  
“I'm going to go lay down.” He says and stalks into his room.  
  
“So.” Hux claps his hands together. Kylo and Techie both stop eating and look up at him. “Shall we?”  
  
The thought of being surrounded by them overwhelms him in the best way possible. He gives a small smile. They move into the apartment next door. When all of them are clean, Kylo takes the longest in the shower, dried blood is hard to get out of hair, Techie knows, and all of them get into bed.  
  
It's just as good as it felt the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***notes***
> 
> I picked Caleb for his name because Caleb is the name of the character Domhnall Gleeson plays in Ex Machina. He's good at computers and bad at people. Seemed fitting. Also convenient explanation for why he hasn't been using his name up till now. Spoilers, he probably still wont. 
> 
> ***notes***


	6. Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt freaks out about a corpse. Kylo makes a corpse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you soooooooo much for the support, all of you are so amazing, like wow, so great!
> 
> I was trying to write this out for a few weeks, and then I was finally ready, and you know, assembled, and then guess what? 
> 
> 40C fever. 
> 
> Lux. 
> 
> BUT. 
> 
> I did it. 
> 
> I hope you continue to enjoy it.
> 
> not beta'd

  
  
  
It's been a long day.  
  
One of those days that starts and just doesn't have the good sense to end, the kind of day that is definitely longer then twenty four hours, the type of day that is better spent in bed.  
  
Matt's tired and the weather is not helping. It's been just pissing down all day, and the fact that he needed to patch the hole in a water tank on the roof really just made his day. Like wow, thanks shitty metal. You're the best.  
  
Matt decides to treat himself. He's earned it. The day has been miserable, because standing out in the rain for three hours, because, oh my god, would you guess that epoxy glue doesn't stick to wet metal? Fucking wild. Aside from that disaster, a bunch of kids decided that they wanted to go swimming in the rain, so while he was stuck praying to the glue gods to please, god, please have mercy, he had to listen to shrieking children.  
  
He was done.  
  
Hardcore done.  
  
So yeah, he's already drenched, why not sprint to the bus stop in the rain. What is he loosing? Nothing. That's what. So he pulls on a hoodie and Kylo's jacket over that, before booking it to the bus stop. Has it gotten colder? Probably. He should have worn gloves. And thicker socks.    
  
He barely catches the bus, and as he pulls out the five quarters, the bus driver glares at him the entire time. It cold and wet, he wasn't just going to sit outside and catch pneumonia.  
  
When he turns his head to see where he could sit he sees Techie towards the front and smiles like an idiot. He can't help it, not really. He gets a flush of happiness every time he sees him now, because honestly, after the little episode, he's so so so grateful that Techie didn't just leave forever. And they were friends now!  
  
Friends who knew almost nothing about each other, but whatever!  
  
Minor details!  
  
He walks over and takes the seat next to Techie.  
  
“Dude, you're freezing.”  
  
“It's cold.” Techie says back.  
  
“You're drenched through!”  Matt reaches over and puts a hand on Techie's cheek. And he thought he was miserable.  “Here.” Matt pulls off the leather jacket he's wearing, and then the hoodie under that and gives it to Techie. He keeps Kylo's jacket, and puts it back on. He's still shivering though. “Come here.” He says and pulls Techie closer to him.  
  
Techie fidgets a bit before his back connects with Matt's chest and then stops almost immediately, practically melting into him. They sit in silence for the most part until Matt moves a little, just to stretch his legs.  
  
“You don't have a car?” Techie asks him.  
  
“Can't afford one.” Matt tells him.  His maintenance job covers room and board and that's about it, really. The only reason why he could afford that apartment is because he's a live in technician. They gave him a discount.  
  
“Oh.” Techie says. “That's kind of hard, in this city.”  
  
“You don't have a car either.” Matt points out.  
  
“Don't have a license.” He says.  Matt can't really imagine Techie behind the wheel of a car anyway. And it's one less thing to worry about, him getting into a crash.  
  
“Oh. Where are you going this late anyway?”  
  
“Take out.”  
  
“Me too.” They have so much in common.  
  
They get off at the stop and walk to the little Chinese place that's built into the bus station. They order their food and sit at a tiny table. It's not to busy, though it might have more to do with the weather then anything else. Matt orders five boxes of food, Techie orders three. Matt offers to by him coffee, but Techie doesn't drink it. Makes him twitchy. Matt substitutes the offer for hot chocolate.  
  
“...Yeah.”  
  
“Yeah?” Techie nods.  
  
“I'll be back in a minute then.” He grabs his wallet and leaves the restaurant. The Starbucks is down the street, so he sprints for it. Kylo's jacket doesn't keep the cold out as well as he hopes it would. The barista is just as irritated about him being there as he is, but he pays for their drinks and leaves back through the rain.  
  
He meets Techie the second their food is brought out and the bus rolls around the corner, so they get on it. Techie sits against his chest again, and Matt has to fight setting his chin on Techie's head.  
  
The walk back to his apartment is a lot better now. Techie stays close to him the entire way. Just as Matt is about to wave him off, Techie freezes. Matt follows his line of sight and notices Hux's car in Techie's drive way. Matt wants to say something, but Techie's already off, so he follows him to his house.  
  
Techie takes of his shoes and goes further inside the house. Matt opts to wait in the door way. He figures he shouldn't intrude if he isn't told to.  
  
“Caleb, just the man I wanted to see.” That was Hux's voice.  “Sit down.” After a short pause,  “Caleb?” Hux calls again.  
  
Is that Techie's actual name?  
  
Caleb?  
  
He thinks he could get used to it. It's not a bad name. It's better then Techie, that's for sure.  
  
“He's dead.” What? “I don't-- under-- get--”  
  
“Caleb's your name, isn't it?” Kylo asks. Kylo's here too? “That's what you said.”  
  
“No-- I don't--- I mean--- it is, but--” Techie seems to be having a hard time with something.  “I don't.. go by it. It's not--- not practical.”  
  
“Well, the other Caleb,” Hux again. “Is dead. So, Caleb. Come here.”  
  
Matt walks into hallway that leads into the living room. He can see the room from here.  
  
Oh my god.  
  
Fuck.  
  
What the fuck is that?  
  
“Don't.”  He hears. It sounds like the aunt.  
  
What the actual fuck?  
  
He sees a body on the floor, and it's a body, Matt can't bring himself to think of that thing as a person. It was a person, but it sure as fuck isn't anymore. It's shirt is missing, and it looks like something cracked it's back in half. Not just a spine snap, but being hit again and again and again to the point where the meat just caved in.  
  
he bolts out the door and vomits in the yard.  
  
what type of thing could do that?  
  
holy fucking christ  
  
no  
  
just a hard no  
  
he doesn't want to think about it anymore  
  
he vomits again  
  
he feels sick  
  
fundamentally  
  
inherently  
  
completely  
  
he throws up again

 

  
.  
.  
.  
  


  
  
He stands in his shower. It's cold. The type of cold that sinks into bones and stays there. God. He would have nightmares for days. Weeks probably. How was this day so bad?  
  
Like, wow, one for the record books bad.  
  
He doesn't know how long he's been in his shower, but he gets out of it after a while, pulls on a pair of sweats and a soft shirt. He doesn't know where he put his underwear and he can't be bothered to go find a pair so fuck it, whatever.  
  
He washed his mouth out a few, six, times.  
  
He feels better though.  
  
As long as he doesn't think about it.  
  
Then he's great.  
  
Just wow, fantastic. So great.  
  
He stares at the food on his counter, feels a bit sick at the thought of food and opens his fridge to get some cold water. It feels good, down his sore throat. He presses it against his face. That feels good too.  
  
There's a knock at the door, and he opens it on auto pilot before realizing, hey, could be a murderer. Or the police.  
  
It's just Tech-- Caleb, though.  
  
“Are you okay?” Matt asks him. It was his house. And it was probably someone he knew, too.  
  
“Are you?” He asks back.  
  
“I-” No, of course he wasn't, but Caleb looked completely fine, so... wait?  
  
“You threw up on my plants.” Caleb says. His hand clutches the bag at his side.  “I was worried.”  
  
“You were?” Oh wow, a brutishly murdered body and he was worried about Matt? He can't help but smile now, because wow, that took the fear off like a glove. He finally moves to the side with a grin on his face and Techie moves inside.  
  
“Do you still have food?” The nausea almost knocks him off his feet and the smile is gone.  
  
“How can you- Never mind.” He mumbles and watches. He turns his head to stare at the wall. “Caleb?”  
  
“He's dead.” And the guy had the same name, wow, that's fucked up.  
  
“I mean, isn't that your name?”  
  
“What? I don't really...” He trails off. “I guess.”  
  
“It's a nice name.” Matt says.  
  
“Okay.” He gets that unhappy look he always does when he doesn't want to talk about something, so Matt guesses he should probably keep calling him Techie, at least for the time being. Or maybe he could phase it in. Speaking of things fazing in.  
  
“Your aunt's a drug dealer?” Techie/Caleb nods.  
  
“She's not my aunt, though. I'm not related. To her.”  
  
“Oh.” Techie, yeah, he'll just stick with that for now, the other way sounds stupid,  eats and waits. “There's a corpse in your house.” Matt finally says.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“You're not freaking out.”  
  
“No.” Matt nods.  
  
“Right. Okay.” He says. “Did Hux kill her?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Shame.  
  
“Unfortunate.” Matt says.  
  
Should have been her.  
  
The door knocks again, and okay, it must be the cops now, so he  goes and opens it, but no, no it is not the cops. Kylo and Hux walk in casually, like Kylo isn't covered in blood and they didn't just witness a murder. Kylo goes straight to the food and Matt gags a little again.  
  
“The situation's been more or less taken care off.” Kylo is clearly a stress eater, because he practically inhales noodles.  
  
“So the murder, that's not weird for anyone?” Matt asks out loud. It's a dumb thing to say. All three of them look at him.  
  
“It's only weird if you make it weird.” Kylo says as he bites into a dumpling.  
  
“There's a body in his house.”  
  
“Sure.” Kylo clearly is used to this sort of thing. Why?  
  
“Should we call the police?”  
  
“Why would you do that?” Hux asks. He looks at the food and shakes his head.  
  
“Because of the corpse?!”  
  
“They have a way of getting rid of bodies.” Hux says. It is amazing how well Matt is handling this, because normal people would have fainted by now or something..  
  
“I'm going to go lay down.” He says and stalks into his room. He falls face first into the bed. He really doesn't want to think about any of this.  
  
He hears his door shut.  
  
He doesn't sleep.  
  
He doesn't think about it.

  
  
.  
.  
.

  
  
Kylo watches Hux on the balcony. He's mad about something, that much is blatantly obvious by the way that he is actively screaming into the phone. He must be speaking with Snoke and Kylo's mother at the same time. He's only ever seen Hux lose it when both of them were in a room together.  
  
They didn't work in the same branch, but ever now and again, shit like this would happen, and then Hux would be pissed of. Millicent lounged on the couch, her tail swishing back and forth and she watches Hux too.  
  
No, this couldn't possibly be good.  
  
They've worked for eight years now, Kylo knew him well.  
  
Hux looked like he was going to throw the phone of the balcony, but he turns it of and shoves it in his pocket before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He shoves one in his mouth pulls out his lighter. He flicks it, tries to get it to work over and over before yelling loud enough for Kylo to hear and yeah.  
  
There it goes, sailing over the railing.  
  
Kylo's outside in an instant, leaning over the railing to make sure it doesn't crack anyone's skull open. When he sees it shatter on the pavement, he lets out a sigh of relief and turns to light Hux's cigarette for him. A snap of his finger and an appreciative sigh follow.  
  
“Was it that bad?” He asks while Hux does his best impression of a chain smoker. He doesn't say anything either, just takes deep long drags.  
  
“What did I tell you about throwing your powers around?”  
  
“To only do it when I need to?” Kylo pushes Hux down on the chair and he stares up at him in irritation. They don't talk after that, not for a good while. It's raining pretty strongly, but the floor above them has a balcony that covers theirs entirely. It must be at least an hour before Hux finally calms down.  
  
“Light another one.” He says and hands Kylo the pack. Kylo, in turn, pulls a cig out and puts it between his lips before snapping his fingers and watching the little glow erupt and die. Hux is standing next to him and pulls it out of his mouth before he can take a drag.  
  
“Kill joy.” It's the wrong thing to say, but Hux's irritation is only surface level. He wants to hit him. Kylo should probably let him. Or... “Come inside.”  
  
“I'm not in the mood right now.”  
  
“Hux, come inside.” Hux stares at the house. “It's cold.” Kylo says. “Wet.”  
  
“And?”  
  
“And I can warm you up.”  
  
“Can you?” There's a raised eyebrow starring at him.  
  
“Mmhm.”  
  
He seems to consider it for a while and then pull out his phone and looks at the time.  
  
“Go get ready.”  
  
Kylo smiles as he walks inside and leaves the balcony open.  The fresh air is good for this sort of thing. He throws of his shirt in the living room, his pants in the door way and his underwear in the bedroom.  
He  throws himself back first on the bed and stretches.  
  
It feels good. He listens to his muscles joints pop before leaning over to the bed side table and pulling out a tube of lube. He smiles as he pours it out on his fingers and more on his palm. He wraps his left hand around his dick and his right index finger circles his rim.  
  
Oh, it's been a month!  
  
He pushes his index finger in, and bites his lip. It only slightly kills his growing erection. He liked fucking Hux more, but that almost never happened. Whatever! It doesn't matter, because he pushes in the second finger and is practically vibrating.  
  
He angles his fingers to start rubbing at his prostate, slowly until he loses patients and just starts jabbing it. His grip on his dick is pretty rough, but if he doesn't concentrate, he will totally flag, and then what?  
  
It's been a month and he's finally going to--  
  
“What are you doing?” Hux stands in the doorway with Kylo's jeans and shirt in his hands.  
  
“Getting ready?”  
  
“God.” He sounds so tired all of a sudden. “ I meant for the job.”  
  
“Uh.” Kylo sits up with two fingers still in his ass. “No, but you said-”  
  
“We have an hour before we have to go yell at people, why did you think I meant-” He picks up Kylo's boxers and starts folding them. “Can you take your fingers out of your ass?” Kylo yanks them out. Well the sheets are ruined.  
  
“I thought you meant that we would-”  
  
“I told you I wasn't in the mood.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“It's fine. Go take a shower and put your hair up and get dressed. It's cold.” He says before putting his clothes away.  
  
“Hux.” He says, and his voice is full of need. “Please.” He turns to look at him. He must look like a disaster now. “Please.” Hux sighs, bodily.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“It's been a lo—” No. “ I need you.” He does. He does, desperately want him. Like this and in every other way. Like always.  
  
Hux has a look on his face, something that Kylo can't discern, he could if he bothered to look for it, but not know. Hux would on be madder. He crosses to sit on the bed in front of him.  
  
“You are very needy.” He says. Its appraisal of some kind. “Do you think you deserve it?”  
  
“I miss you.”  
  
“I'm right here, Kylo.”  
  
“Yes.” Hux smiles, it's a small thing, vicious.  
  
Good.  
  
Hux pushes his shoulders until he's flat on the bed again.  
  
“We have twenty minutes, understand?”  
  
“Mmhm.” Kylo smiles.  
  
“Go on then. Show me how badly you need me.” Kylo returns to task with much vigor. His fingers pump in and out of him until he can put in three, and then until he can put in four. Hux stops him then, turns him over and up on his knees. “Such a good boy for me.” Hux whispers into his ear as he kisses down his spine.  
  
Kylo's eyes roll back when Hux pushes his tongue into him. He kisses and he licks and he sucks and Kylo makes little noises in the back of his throat.  Hux rubs his hip as he does so. Good. This is so, so good.  
  
Kylo rolls his hips and Hux moves away from him, reaching for the lube, before pulling his cock out of his pants and rubbing it up. He didn't even undress. Of course he didn't. It makes Kylo burn up at the thought.  
  
He presses into him slowly, so slowly Kylo thinks he forgot about the time.  
  
“I missed you.” Kylo pants while they wait.  
  
“It's going to be a hard job.” Hux tells him.  
  
“No, Hux, please.” He feels himself wilt. Physically.  
  
“I want you to be ready.” He says and presses his clothed chest to Kylo's naked back. A hand wraps around him at his cock, rubbing it back to attention. “I don't want it to be bad again.”  
  
“It won't be if you just-”  
  
“Listen to me.” Kylo stops talk immediately. “I don't know what is going to happen. No one does, alright. I can't have you shut down on me. It's not an option this time.”  
  
“Yeah, okay. I won't.”  
  
“You don't know if you will or if you wont. I want you prepared. I'll be there with you, the entire time. I need you to know that.”  
  
“You always are.”  
  
“I need you to know that.” He repeats again.  
  
Oh.  
  
Oh.  
  
Oh.  
  
“Hux?”  
  
“You want me to start moving now?” Kylo nods and Hux thrusts into him. They waited too long, and he can feel each individual drag of Hux's cock against his skin. It's so good, but it feels like he's being rubbed raw. Hux goes faster and harder and cums first, spilling deep inside him. He doesn't move away and rubs Kylo to completion.  
  
“Thanks.” He's on his back a few minutes later, Hux rubbing him clean with a warm, wet towel. He feels like he's floating.  
  
The rain has gotten louder.  
  
“Do you want me to dress you?” He asks and Kylo nods to that too.  
  
A time honored tradition.  
  
It's all black, naturally, he doesn't own a lot of other colors, no matter how much Hux begs him to. Hux pulls on black boxer briefs slowly, languidly, and Kylo lifts his hips for him. A tight tank top, followed by a black shawl that goes around and around and around his shoulders.  A pair of tight jeans, his combat boots.  
  
Hux himself gets redressed. His usual regalia. Button down, slacks, and his great coat. They look pretty good, the both of them. Kylo pulls up his hair in a top not.  
  
“I need to pick something up first, come on.”  
  
They get into the car.  
  
He kills a man thirty minutes later.  
  
He feels Hux inside him the entire time.  
  
Hux is proud.

**Author's Note:**

> [iamalivenow](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/) is me on tumblr, come say hi, I'm nice, I swear. 
> 
> Comments always appreciated. 
> 
> If you make anything, please tag me in it! 
> 
> ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡


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